Headmaster Snape & the Case of the Silenced Siren1
by jcwriter
Summary: It's been five years since Severus took the Headmaster post and life has been anything but boring. But a bad prisoner transfer thanks to Rel and Andrew turns deadly, and Severus once again is forced to step in before one of them is blamed for the crime.
1. I

_A/N Thought I'd send this to chew on now we're all getting hyped up for GoF. g> Anyhow...Welcome to the Headmaster Snape series; a direct spinoff of the Jennifer Craw series (starts with Phoenix Wand, or check author info.) This is a short story series that will come out in spurts as my time permits or I get stuck on my original fic work, and will all be mystery-comedy. The stories will not necessarily be in chronological order and may jump different timespans in Snape's latter career._

_ You might not get all the jokes if you haven't read the JC series, but you can get by with this; it's about twenty-five years since Voldemort's death, Snape has worked his way into decent favor, and has settled down into a satisfactory career and home life including a somewhat dotty but charming wife and five (sometimes at odds with each other) adult kids, only one of which, miraculously enough, hates him. For the JC series loyals, happy holidays with this first installment, and I'll see you all at 11:49 on Thursday for the American premier (as I'm sure you all are going g>) JCWriter_

Headmaster Snape and the Case of the Silenced Siren

I

Aurelius Snape was in anything but a good mood. In fact, he was quite furious as he trudged through the mud in the pouring rain pelting down upon the Dark Forest. At some distance behind him, the tall lanky figure of Andrew Snape followed, unusually sullen as he pulled the hood of his Hogwarts cloak over his head, keeping a safe distance from his brother.

"I don't know what I was thinking trusting you with this!" Aurelius snapped after he had calmed down enough to speak. "After everything I went through to capture her, you turned a simple prisoner transfer into an absolute fiasco! You had better hope nothing happens to the herd because of this, or brother or not, I shall strangle you!"

"Pali isn't likely to let the herd get anywhere near a creature like that," Andrew said evenly. "And all the centaurs are looking for her now as well…"

"They shouldn't have been put in this position in the first place!" Aurelius growled. "Grandfather is really going to be livid…and it's going to be me he'll blame, because I should have known that you wouldn't be able to handle any creature that looked even remotely female!"

"I simply gave her a glass of water…" Andrew murmured.

"To a siren who gains power from it!" Aurelius snapped.

"It was already raining." Andrew pointed out.

"Yes, and you delivered the catalyst!" Aurelius shouted back, sloshing across the brook.

"Perhaps Father will have some ideas on how to find her before we have to tell our grandfather?" Andrew suggested hopefully. "Or perhaps Mother, considering…"

"Right. Andrew, do you really want to be the one to tell mother we accidentally let loose a Siren in the Dark Forest in Father's hearing range?" Aurelius said.

"Good point," Andrew said somberly. "Perhaps she's still abroad. It is summer, after all."

It had been five years since Severus Snape had begun to add his subtle personal touches to the Headmaster's Study. It had been two since Caprica Dusthorn finally fell asleep and was banished once more to the Trophy Room, the grueling "break-in" period finished and the painting of the First Headmaster satisfied that Severus was comfortable in his new role. Not that it had been anything but easy going, especially with a full slew of troublesome Weasley students to keep things "interesting" and the constant interruptions of Minister Draco Malfoy and his father-in-law, Thomas Craw from Law Enforcement, asking him for advice or occasionally his intervention on one thing or the other. But that particular summer had been unusually quiet, which suited Snape very well. Many hours were spent on research that he only seemed to be able to get done during the summer months, but now it was getting late and the sound of the lulling rain made him uninterested in continuing such pursuits. Instead, he put his books away and turned off his beakers in favor of his favorite book, settling into his chair with the _Hound of the Baskervilles_ in hand.

But it wasn't long before the loud, screeching call of his Stymphalian rang through the once silent room, making many of the paintings of Headmasters on the wall stir in their sleep. The quill by Severus' appointment book was moving. Descartes didn't always react when the quill moved; it seemed to move all the time. But somehow the iron crane instinctively seemed to know when it was writing something down important or if it was the typical, "Tea with Chairman Shea on Tuesday" sort of entry. Sighing at the inconvenience, Severus hushed the bird silent and peered over at the open appointment book, frowning.

Now, what were those two coming up to bother him about? From the urgency, Severus suspected that it was hardly a social call…not to mention it was odd to see them together at all.

Aurelius was almost always working; driven as he was by his work as an Auror, often plagued by the idea of any quarry he was assigned to running free. And Andrew was…well, known to go out of his way to be unproductive during his summers away from Hogwarts. The fact that he was not entertaining one girlfriend or another at that time of the evening was enough to give pause. In so many ways, the two were polar opposites; in looks, personality and social habits. Curiosity got the better of Severus, and he reached under the desk, pulling a secret knob that he had only learned was there from Dumbledore after receiving the job; it would help speed up their ascent up the fifteen floors to his office. Then he took up his book again as if completely disinterested in anything else, not even bothering to look up as the doors opened and the two of them strode in.

"Father…"

"One moment, Aurelius, I'm in the middle of a paragraph," Severus said evenly.

"I'm sure you have that book memorized by now," Aurelius said impatiently. "There's something you ought to know…something Andrew wants to tell you about." Andrew did a double take.

"Me? It's your job, not mine. I was just a reluctant volunteer," Andrew reminded him.

"It's your fault we're even here at all," Aurelius snapped back.

"Why is it," Severus interrupted with a voice that cut through the friction like a knife, "that the two of you are perfectly capable of acting like adults and doing exemplary work in your own fields and yet when you combine forces in anything you both act like first years?"

"Is Mother anywhere around?" Andrew asked. Severus squinted at him suspiciously.

"No, she is in Italy visiting your sister," Severus said. "Would this concern her?"

"Well, yes and no," Andrew said thoughtfully. "Actually, I don't know…"

"The point?"

"The point Andrew was 'helping' me bring a prisoner overland from the Orkney Islands when our prisoner escaped…thanks to him…" Aurelius began looking at his brother accusingly.

"I was merely trying to be polite…"

"She was a prisoner!" Aurelius snapped. "And a dangerous one at that! Bad enough that I couldn't take her straight away to Azkaban, but under the circumstances, and being what she was, I couldn't very well do that, could I?" Severus began drumming his fingers on his desk in a decidedly irritated manner. "Right, the point. Father, there's a siren lose in the Dark Forest. We lost her after she dazzled us…but don't worry, the centaurs are already looking for her…"

"One moment, Aurelius…are you telling me that you had to transport a siren and you chose _him_ to help you?" Severus asked with a deadpan face. Aurelius grimaced, while Andrew took a fascinated interest in the ceiling.

"Grandfather didn't want to spare anyone else to go up there, and I thought that a Hogwarts Professor would have enough self control to not be drawn in by such a grossly _obvious_ attempt at manipulating him!" Aurelius said.

"Enough, Aurelius please…"

"I hardly think that's fair! Dark creature or not, I think she's entitled to some basic considerations…"

"Basic considerations? Like she's given all those ships she's been leading astray? I can't believe…"

"More than enough!" Severus growled. "Aurelius, sit down! Andrew, remove your hood off when you're in my study. I take it you were trying to get this thing on a train and didn't quite manage it?" Aurelius nodded, still glaring at Andrew who gazed balefully back at him. "Aurelius, you had better alert Rosmerta about the current danger, and get Corey to help you while you are at it. In fact, he would have been a better choice from the beginning, or myself had you needed family help with this little mission of yours. I will go have some words with Sagittari about what may be done on our end, and as soon as it stops raining I'll send Descartes out to see if he smells anything unusual."

"Is there anything I can do? Send Owls? Watch the castle?" Andrew suggested, Severus eyeing him in a way that made him uncomfortable.

"You, Andrew, will go ask your mother to come home and explain why I might have occasion to need a specialist in oratory charms to begin with. Oh, and have a nice trip. Come along, Aurelius," Severus said in a brisk voice. Aurelius nodded to himself with satisfaction before following Severus out of the room, leaving Andrew to wonder if the punishment wasn't just as much to get him away from the area as for any other reason.


	2. II

II

Jennifer Craw Snape had been looking forward to her tennis lesson after a busy morning shopping, but now she was already quite exhausted and was forced to admit to herself that she was not in as good of shape as she wanted to be. Too many days by the beach with lightly potion-laced drinks in hand, she decided, as once again the ball whiffed out of her range. Of course, it wasn't a sentiment that her instructor shared, and he would have been quite surprised to find that his vibrant auburn-haired student was well on her way to fifty. As usual, Jennifer was oblivious to the scrutiny as she concentrated more on her serve; for although she was a Truth-Seeker and could read people's faces, she often was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to notice.

This day was no exception; it was difficult enough to learn all the rules of this Muggle sport and his meticulous placement of her hands and feet, which were quite different than those she used for forms. At least perhaps it would help her reaction time. She grinned to herself as she imagined the surprised lift of the brow she might receive if she took a more aggressive stance in a duel instead of defensive. But as her thoughts strayed, she lost track of the game, and caught herself just in time to make a futile reach out with her racket, tipping the ball out of bounds.

"Whatever happened to real handles on these silly rackets?" Jennifer exclaimed as Nicolai started to laugh at her attempt. "I need a badminton one."

"You were distracted, I could tell," Nicolai said. "You always end up chopping like a flyswatter when you get like that! Here, you should be working on your backhand, then you will not pull the ball down so much…it should seem natural, more flowing…" he explained. Jennifer sighed impatiently. She had been shown this several times before, and nodded with frustration at herself for not getting it as he attempted to show her again. But it wasn't until he slowed down her arm movements that she began to realize she was in an awkward position.

"I think I have the hang of it, thank you," Jennifer said, shrugging and stepping away. "Shall we try again?"

"Very well, signora. Shall we play for real? If I win, you let me take you to dinner at my favorite restaurant," he suggested.

"I'm married," Jennifer reminded him.

"Yes, but I know he is not here, and it is simply a friendly little dinner so you don't have to eat alone…" he coaxed her. "As friends."

Jennifer was about to answer when Nicolai felt a sharp tap on his shoulder. He turned about to get a brief glimpse of a very tall man with long thin blonde hair tied into a tail and a prominent hawk nose…but a glimpse was all he got before he saw a fist aiming straight towards his own nose. Jennifer let out a yelp of surprise as Nicolai went sprawling into the net, slumping down in a mild stun.

"Goodness, Andrew! Did you have to do that?" Jennifer said in horror.

"I very well couldn't use any sort of normal methods, could I, Mother?" Andrew said, taking a few steps up between her and Nicolai.

"Mother?" Nicolai repeated, staring at the man who was nearly as old as he was.

"Yes, be grateful that it is me here instead of my Father or any of my brothers and sisters, or I seriously doubt anyone would ever discover what happened to you," Andrew said crisply. "Let me give you a bit of sound advice. When a lady says she is married, she means she is married happily. If she wasn't, she'd deny being married, despite wearing a ring or having a tan line on her finger. Therefore, you should always take such a proclamation of marriage as a 'no'. You will find you will live a lot longer taking 'no' for an answer, because to be perfectly honest, she could have killed you too. Lesson over! Shall we go, Mother? I think I've caused enough of a racket for one tennis court."

"Andrew!" Jennifer said with exasperation, barely keeping herself from laughing as he offered her an arm and they walked off the court. "The punch was bad enough, but that pun was absolutely unforgivable!"

"I can't help it. Somehow I ended up inheriting Father's sense of humor," Andrew said. "Sorry to barge in. Alicia told me where you were."

"Just what are you doing here, anyhow?"

"Saving you from someone like me, apparently, but someone who has a bit less sense," Andrew answered smoothly. "Hardly surprising though, considering that outfit you are wearing."

"This is what women always wear to play tennis," Jennifer said defensively. "Not that you have any say so in anything I wear, son. Really, you know perfectly well I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"Of course you are," Andrew nodded solemnly. "I was just saving you the trouble of having to try and cover up whatever your response would have been had that situation continued." Jennifer merely grinned at him, but had little intention of telling her son what she might have been planning, adult or not.

"So what brings you to Florence, Andrew? You still haven't told me," Jennifer pointed out.

"In the studio," Andrew insisted as the two of them turning down a narrow street laid with stone. In some strange way, the houses even looked almost narrower than the street; packed like sardines along the cobbled road. Flowerboxes poked out of windows and half-circle planters. But Andrew quickly noted that baskets of oregano and rosemary also carried herbs that the local Muggles might find quite 'unorthodox,' and there was little doubt that this quiet little cul-de-sac, as innocent on its surface as it seemed, was one made up of their own kind.

Up a steep stair and towards the back of one of the furthest houses, Jennifer and Andrew found Alicia hard at work, attempting to sculpt again, using a different sculpture beside it as a model. A large chunk she hadn't intended to come off broke and went clattering to the floor. She sighed at it, and slipped her wand out of her sleeve, putting it back in place.

"I saw that," Jennifer said, startling her and nearly messing her up again. "I thought you were here to study classical forms and not magical ones?"

"I can't help it if marble is so brittle," Alicia said defensively.

"Well, take care around this lad's private parts then," Andrew teased. "I'd hate for you to turn him into a eunuch."

"That's David, it's a copy of one of Michaelangelo's pieces," Alica said, carefully chiseling away again. "I really don't think I'll ever get the knack of this sort of art, but I thought it'd help me work out some of the stiffness in my paintings."

"She's studying anatomy," Jennifer explained, heading over to a small kitchen area to grab the teapot.

"Yes, care to model for me?" Alicia teased.

"What? You mean like that?" he said, pointing at the statue.

"Just for practice, no one will see it," Alicia coaxed. Andrew began to say something, but then paused.

"Well, what's the fun in me doing it then, if no one is going to see it?" he asked. Alicia rolled her eyes, while Jennifer slapped him in the arm.

"You could be more supportive of your sister's work," Jennifer said.

"There are limits, Mum."

"It's not like half the witches in Britain haven't seen you in the buff as it is," Alicia said.

"Oh, stop exaggerating. I can only account for a quarter of them. Besides, you said yourself this is hardly your medium. This sketch over here is rather good," Andrew said, gesturing to one of a young man on the back wall.

"Oh, that's a copy I did of a Leonardo. I mainly came here to research DaVinci's anatomy, but I'm starting to branch out a bit," she said. "You should visit the monastery with us while you're here. There's all sorts of neat drawings of ancient Muggle gadgets and things you may find fascinating…"

"I'm sorry, but I can't, and actually, Mum probably can't either," Andrew admitted. "Father sent me to ask you to come back. Something's come up and he may need you at the school."

"Really? Already? Is he in trouble with the board again?" Jennifer asked with a frown.

"Oh, no, nothing that serious…well, not exactly. Actually, it's more about Aurelius and what he…well what we…" he paused then, for he noted that her gaze had gone completely intense.

"Lovely. Quite lovely," Jennifer said in a tone that indicated nothing of the sort. Curiously, Alicia looked over at them. "I would think that after all those years of Defense not to mention teaching both at home and abroad, you would have enough sense than to give water to a siren!"

"She looked like she was going to faint!" Andrew protested.

"Don't sirens normally have an ocean full?" Alicia asked.

"Prisoner transfer, he was helping Aurelius," Jennifer said disapprovingly.

"Really? I didn't think Rel was that stupid…"

"Spare me, please!" Andrew pleaded, only half joking. "Trust me, I've already heard it all from Father already."

"Your Father!" Jennifer froze, staring at him a moment. "And with a siren in the Dark Forest! Oh, we must go home at once! Alicia, might we get a lift to Corey's?"

"Fine," Alicia said, glancing at Andrew who had the smug look of someone who had ducked a fatal blow. "But I won't stay."

"Even if I agree to pose for you, long as I get it afterwards?" Andrew asked in a low voice as Jennifer went to get her things together.

"He has no right to try to run my life anymore, Andrew…"

"Ah yes, back to that," Andrew said somberly.

"I am twenty years old, and he still treats me like a child!"

"And he still does to me as well, at times…"

"Yet he seems to have no trouble at all with your horrid exploits and yet I am denied the only man I ever wanted!" Alicia said with frustration. "Just because I'm a girl, and you're not…"

"Alicia, come on, you can't really believe that's what this is about…"

"Isn't it?" she challenged him, her eyes sparkling dangerously. Jennifer walked back in, and the two broke off their gazes, Alicia taking a moment to take off her apron.

"Well…" Jennifer said, glancing between them. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"Fine, but I'm still not staying," Alicia said. But unlike Andrew, Jennifer merely nodded acceptingly.

"Of course, I'm sure you have a lot to do here," she said calmly. "As for me, I suspect a more agreeable dinner date awaits me compared to my other offer today." A grin crept back on Andrew's face again, glad to leave on a lighter note despite the tinge of regret he felt when Alicia pulled them through the painting and returned to Florence alone.


	3. III

III

Severus had walked out onto the center of the lake, too preoccupied to really be paying much attention to the surroundings. They had done what little they could to search overnight, but the Dark Forest was, after all, dark; filling with plenty of nooks and caves and all sorts of dreary places any sort of creature might find to hide in. Not to mention there was little guarantee that she was still there, but where else would she be? Severus thoughtfully gazed between his toes at the water below.

"Incredible! I suppose you did this?" said an unmistakable voice, and Severus looked up to see Harry walking over the crystal surface.

"Tonks' idea, actually, but Hermione and I helped her implement it," Severus said simply.

"I thought it was ice at first. I hope the Kraken aren't under there," Harry said with a slight grin.

"I hardly forgot them. Sagittari removed them into the underwater caverns. I assume your presence here means that Thomas knows what's going on?"

"He's at the Pig's Pannage grilling Aurelius as we speak, considering he chose Aurelius…in his words, 'for the very fact that he was not inclined to listen to any sort of feminine persuasion.'" Harry said, mimicking the Enforcement Minister's voice with a grin.

"I believe it was a backfired attempt at trying to get Andrew back in Thomas' good graces," Severus said expressionlessly. "I have asked them to leave the matter alone, but as usual they chose not to take my advice. The situation gets worse every time they want to make things better…Thomas isn't likely to see their true intentions."

"Of course not, he's a Craw," Harry said, Severus merely nodding without the slightest change in expression. "Actually, I was sent here to fetch you. He wants to see you about this situation."

"Let's take the Forest route," Severus said, immediately turning to walk off. "Perhaps with you along I may notice something that I otherwise might have missed." Harry paused a moment to think about his wording, but decided to simply shake his head and catch up, resisting to urge to overcompensate for the strange surface.

As they reached the other side and stepped back onto normal ground, the scolding cry of Descartes met their ears. Severus immediately spotted him in a low tree, the branches bowing from the weight. The Headmaster let out a sigh of complete annoyance.

"I told you it was safe to go over the lake. You could have reported in when you were done," Severus said. "Well? Anything unusual?" But Descartes merely stared balefully at him and then back at the lake.

"Perhaps you would have been better off sending Rasputin to search the Forest," Harry suggested, only half-joking.

"Descartes may have a brain the size and consistency of a dried apple, but he is a predator that understands different smells. He should have detected something unusual."

"Perhaps we're going about this the wrong way," Harry said. "Perhaps instead of protecting the lake it could have better served as bait…"

"I'm hardly going to draw such a creature towards the school, summer or not," Severus said firmly.

"Well, it's hard to say where she is, isn't it?" Harry pointed out.

"Yes, but at least she's disarmed," Severus said curtly back. "May I remind you there are Muggle farms on the other side of the forest?"

"Well, if she did anything to them, I'd think we'd find out where she was real quick," Harry said, earning a dirty look from Severus as they stepped onto the forest path. Above them, Descartes hopped from branch to branch to serve as another set of eyes, although he seemed more interested in the local rodent population than he was anything else, and every now and then, Severus would pause as if to listen and then proceed as if he hadn't stopped at all. It got to be so often, however that even Harry was beginning to get impatient with it, as well as the intense silence the two of them had fallen into, especially since he had something else on his mind.

At the brook, Severus took a sharp turn off the path to follow it, picking his way through until he paused again. But this time, Harry saw something; a lone Unicorn getting a drink upstream. The beast turned a thoughtful eye towards them, but after a simple tail swish melted back into the trees.

"She must not be anywhere near here," Severus said, nodding in the direction of the Unicorn.

"For all we know she may have already left," Harry agreed. "No power, and with enemies all about. I'd think she'd have headed for the coast by now."

"On foot?" Severus said dubiously, but then shrugged. "To be perfectly frank, I couldn't care less where she goes so long as it isn't here. But nothing seems out of place…none of the inhabitants seem out of sorts at all…short of the centaurs complaining about all the wizards in the Forest searching about. I also don't think Pali would allow a solitary Unicorn out if he felt the herd was in any danger."

"Perhaps we should head to the Pannage then?" Harry suggested. Severus was about to nod when he took a good look around.

"Where is Descartes?" he wondered out loud.

"He was just on that branch a moment ago," Harry said thoughtfully. "Maybe he went ahead to the inn? I left Farynor there."

"No, he wouldn't have left this Forest without my leave," Severus said, glancing around with a frown.

Harry decided not to comment. It was rather common knowledge to anyone who knew Severus that Descartes was not well known for obeying direct orders, no matter how much time the Headmaster spent with the bird. Although, Harry had to admit, Severus had done a fantastic job curbing the bird's voracious tastes for meat, despite worries by many that the bird might find a taste for human blood. It was at that point that Harry froze in his tracks, a sinking feeling hitting his gut and a curious chill piercing through him.

"Severus, would Descartes be attracted by a corpse?" Severus turned and stared at him, and Harry instantly knew that the same feeling that had just hit him had hit Severus as well. Immediately, Severus whipped out a pair of tiny bronze whistle and blew on it, letting out a note that neither he nor Harry could hear.

"Descartes!" he barked right afterwards, taking a few steps back towards the last spot they had seen him with Harry coming up close behind. He blew the whistle again, hoping to hear his bird's protest, but instead heard an instantly familiar voice in the distance followed by the sound of someone trying to work their way through the brush.

"Would you please stop blowing that thing? Once is quite enough, thank you!" Jennifer said as she appeared cutting back onto the path.

"Jennifer! Help me find Descartes!" Severus said. "Harry, you head forward a bit, I'll head back, and you call him from here."

"It's good to see you too, I'm fine, thanks," Jennifer said briskly, but did as she was asked, despite having no idea why she was looking. "You ought to be careful! A Siren can probably hear that as well, you know," she called after him when he blew the whistle again. But this time, all three of them heard a distant caw, and Severus took off towards it with Harry and Jennifer hurrying behind, slipping down the embankment and across a section where a layer of mud from the surrounding Forest had collapsed into the brook, creating a makeshift dam.

"Wait there," Severus said as he inspected the dam, casting a spell on himself before he attempted to cross. "Descartes?" A querulous but agitated caw came then, and close enough that Severus could easily follow. A moment later, all was quiet, and Harry sighed impatiently.

"Severus?" Harry called out. "We're coming over."

"Don't touch or step on anything," he warned, and Jennifer decided to wade through the water side of the slide, pulling herself up the slope. "I don't think you need worry about the Siren hearing the whistle, Jennifer," Severus said evenly, offering her a hand up.

"So she is dead then?" Harry said, clamoring up beside them.

"Moreover, the corpse is still cold," Severus said with a nod. "She hasn't been dead all that long." As Harry went up to take a look, Jennifer began to follow after. Severus' hands immediately went up, pulling her back. "This isn't our business now, Jennifer."

"Well, if you weren't going to get involved, why did you call me home then?" Jennifer challenged him. Before he could think up a suitable reply, Harry reappeared out of the brush with a very solemn look on his face.

"I suppose I'm going to have to quarantine the area. I would suggest while you're doing that you may consider sending up a flare," Harry put in before pushing back towards the victim.

"Yes, it seems this is no longer a case of a missing prisoner, but a case of murder," Severus said.

"And we're not getting involved?" Jennifer asked again in a low voice. Severus simply cast a flare from his wand in reply.


	4. IV

IV

It was not long after they arrived back at the castle that the inevitable happened. Severus and Jennifer had hardly stepped foot into their room when Jennifer began to watch him with severe scrutiny.

"So, what do you make of all of that?" Jennifer said.

"Make of all of what?" Severus asked, going over to the breakfast table. "Shall I have Mercy make us something? I dare think you haven't eaten all day."

"I can hardly eat right now. Why would anyone murder that creature?"

"Self-defense comes to mind…"

"Then why not step forward?" Jennifer pressed, then paused thoughtfully. "There's something else that puzzles me too. If she got attacked in the Forest like that, why didn't she try a voice attack? Surely she'd still be able to muster up something. I think I'll go look it up," Jennifer said, walking through to her sitting room. Severus let out a short sigh, wondering why he had answered her at all.

"I dare think you should be more concerned with unpacking," he said through the doorway, then glanced around. "Tea and sandwiches in Jennifer's room, if you don't mind," he said into the air before following after her. As he had expected, she was already sitting at her desk and flipping through a large tome. "Shall I help you go through your cloak chest?"

"Severus! Aren't you even a bit concerned about what happened?" Jennifer said, turning to him with obvious exasperation.

"My concern extended merely to the school's safety having such a creature in the Forest, which is obviously no longer an issue," Severus pointed out.

"Well, whoever murdered that siren may pose a threat to the school as well, you know."

"We are teachers, Jennifer, not Aurors. Now, why don't you just relax and let your father and your son do their jobs for a change. That is a new necklace, isn't it? I don't recall buying that."

"I bought it, of course! You didn't think I'd come back from Italy without a bit of gold, did you? I discovered a skilled enchanter right down the street from the studio…now don't think you can distract me!" Jennifer said sternly, wagging her finger at his back as he turned towards the tray. "And I'm not trusting any of your tea, either. Knowing you, you've already put something in it to put me to sleep."

"Let me assure you then that right now such a plan is the farthest thing from my mind," Severus said easily, handing out a cup and meeting her dubious gaze. "If I have any ulterior motives at all, it is to get your mind off of other people's business long enough to spend some quality time with a husband that you have not, as you protested yourself earlier, seen in over a month and a half."

Jennifer let out a soft sigh and took the cup, curbing the urge to smile.

"I'm still not convinced that you aren't merely trying to distract me," she said after taking a sip.

"I didn't meant to imply that I wasn't going to distract you, simply that I wasn't going to put you to sleep," Severus said. Despite the lack of expression, Jennifer could hardly miss the spark in his black eyes or the thoughts behind it.

"Well, I suppose I could be persuaded to drop the matter…until after breakfast," she added quickly. "Don't you think for one moment this conversation is over."

"Jennifer, we've been married for twenty-five years, and there has never been a subject you have brought up that you have ever been willing to drop, no matter how many times it has been beaten to death."

"Well, at least I bring things up. If it wasn't for me, I dare think that you wouldn't bring up anything at all. You would be content to sit by yourself in the corner for hours on end and fan away anyone who tries to disturb your tomb," Jennifer retorted.

"Yes," Severus mused, glancing at his tea and then looking up at her. "How was it we ended up together again?"

"You needed me," Jennifer said, Severus squinting.

"As I recall, I was not the one marked for death."

"Yes, but I was not the one with the mark," Jennifer answered with a thin smile.

"Was I not the one who saved your life?" Severus pointed out.

"Yes, but I think I saved more than that," Jennifer answered easily. Severus paused then, frowning at her.

"Since when are you good at this?" he asked.

"I've been good at it for years now. You just forgot during my absence," Jennifer teased him.

"Care to remind me of anything else I may have forgotten in your absence?" Severus inquired back.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Why is it," Severus said with annoyance, "that despite the fact it is the middle of summer and the entire school is empty that I am completely unsurprised by what just happened?"

"I'll go get it, I'm sure it must be important," Jennifer said, ignoring his scowl as she hurried over and opened it. Tonks was on the other side, looking apologetic.

"I've a message for you from your father," she said with a note in his hand.

"He couldn't just send it by owl?" Jennifer complained, glancing at the Ministry envelope and opening it, while Severus came over curiously. "Formally requesting your presence at the Ministry for a statement concerning the death of a Ministry prisoner at your earliest _in_convenience?" she read out loud.

"In other words, he means now," Severus said dryly.

"I'm supposed to make sure you get there," Tonks explained.

"Well, I am hardly letting Jennifer go by herself nor am I going to leave the school unattended. You will just have to wait here," Severus said.

"As long as you plan to take the blame for it, sure," Tonks said cheerfully. "I can use the time helping doctor Sagittari get the lake back in order."

"I just simply don't see why this couldn't wait until morning," Jennifer said in annoyance, slipping her wand up her sleeve.

"Well, if it's some sort of plan to try and get me directly involved in this, your father is in for a rude awakening," Severus said. "I've enough to do without bothering with this."

"Like what? It's summer!" Tonks said, but Severus seemed not to hear the question.

"Try not to break anything," Severus advised with a dubious expression as they headed down the stairs. Jennifer merely gave him an exasperated smile as they headed down the stairs, leaving Tonks to figure out how she was going to get to the lake without doing just that. "You know, we really ought to move the doorways to our room. These interruptions are getting quite tedious."

"You hardly had to come along this time. Besides, you knew when you took the job that you would forever be on demand, Severus," Jennifer pointed out.

"That doesn't mean we need to make it easy for them to find us," Severus said. Jennifer simply shook her head and followed him out of the castle.

It was late in the evening when they arrived at the Ministry, so much of the building had been vacated in favor of their families and homes. But it was not remotely unusual for the Minister of Law Enforcement to work far into the night when something was pestering him, and even Jennifer had to admit to herself that he seemed even more worked up than usual when they arrived, pacing with the powerful fury of a wild tiger pushed into a small cramped cage.

"It is about time you got here. What did you do, walk?" Thomas snapped.

"Part of the way, yes," Severus said calmly, gesturing Jennifer to a chair before she had a chance to bristle. "Might I ask what was so important that it couldn't wait?"

"Well, let me answer that with a question of my own," Thomas said, glancing over at his daughter. "I understand Andrew was the one who came and brought you back today. When did he leave you?"

"When did he leave?" Jennifer blinked, glancing at Severus who seemed just as mystified as she was. "Once we got to Hogsmeade, of course. He missed some obligations the night before because of everything that happened and needed to go take care of them…"

"Did he say to whom?"

"Well, he did mention that Ginger was apt to be livid…"

"And you got to Hogsmeade at what time?" Thomas interrupted patiently.

"Just before lunchtime, actually, around eleven. Rose was trying to set the table when we arrived, that's when Andrew said he couldn't stay and why," Jennifer said.

"Then we do in fact have a definite problem, for that leaves him quite a large window of opportunity," Thomas said. "The flare went up between two and three, and I happen to know after a short inquiry that he didn't arrive at Miss Davidson's until well after five."

"Surely you don't think Andrew had anything to do with this!" Jennifer said aghast, raising to her feet. Severus put a firm hand on her arm. "He's your own grandson, you know him better than that!"

"His wand was found in the water near the mud dam, Jennifer. Care to explain that?"

"Simply enough, he must have misplaced it during the fight when she broke away from them the day before," Severus mused.

"Except that by Rel's statement, they lost hold of her because Andrew mistakenly 'gave her water.' They weren't anywhere near the brook, Severus, nor would they have taken a route that passes it. Aurelius knows that Forest better than most centaurs let alone wizards…he would never have strayed so near."

"And yet, Thomas, had Andrew truly had any reason to want her dead, he could have easily done so that first night and justifiably so," Severus said.

"Andrew isn't capable of murder. It's just not in his nature," Jennifer said angrily before Thomas could reply.

"Anyone is capable of murder, Jennifer! No one knows that better than I," Thomas said crisply. "And although I understand your sentiment and Severus' reasoning in this, the facts of this case are far from adding up. Were it my decision, I probably would have let the matter stand, if she hadn't been a prisoner of my department and therefore technically under our direct care. Charles Weasley has already come pounding on my door hinting he'd take the matter to the council if I don't do something…my hands are tied, and family or not, all the evidence right now, including wand tests, are pointing at your son."

"Preposterous," Severus evenly. "There is no logical motive."

"Absolutely not!" Jennifer said emphatically.

"Personally, I agree, but he is still our primary suspect," Thomas said. "He has refused to give any further statements on where he was during that time and has stated nothing except his innocence, and that is not helping his position. Trust me, I want nothing less than to have to arrest my own grandson, not to mention the scandal that's bound to follow if the press gets a hold of this, both for me as well as the school, since he works there. And so to answer your question, Jennifer, that is why I called you here tonight…perhaps you can convince Andrew to account for the missing time before this thing erupts into a family catastrophe."

"Tell me, was Andrew questioned before or after he knew you had the wand, Thomas?"

"Both," Thomas said evenly. "I was hoping by showing it to him I would coax him into saying more, but he simply stated as you implied that he lost it in the fight."

"Perhaps he did, perhaps someone else picked it up," Jennifer said quickly.

"There weren't any other prints on the wand, Jen-girl, I checked that."

"Yes, well, there are ways around that, and it was found in the brook. Besides, for some strange reason I don't consider a wand report as indisputable evidence," Severus said, his eyes flashing.

"I hardly forget what happened to you, Severus," Thomas said. "But as of this moment, I have yet to discover any other leads, despite attempts by both Aurelius and Harry to scrupulously look for them. So unless you have any ideas, we seem to be in a bind, don't we?" he said, meeting Severus gaze.

"Very well, I can hardly stay out of this now, can I?" Severus said dryly. "Consider us involved." Jennifer nodded firmly in agreement, despite the fact she felt rather deflated thinking of the position her youngest son was in.


	5. V

_Thanks for the reviews, and welcome both old readers and new. Yeah, the grammar has come up before...I go over them three times and then have a beta reader...so I'll blame him :P Can't fire him though, would complicate my real life (g) Anyhow; intro'ing a new character in this chapter for this series...there will be at least two; the other to come in a following story. In any case, enjoy, thanks, and keep reading! JCWriter. _

V

Jennifer knocked a second time, glancing over at Severus who was pursing his lips thoughtfully. Far from their home on Baker Street in a borough on the other side of the river was a small cul-de-sac of houses on Crow's Keeper Lane…a very modest wizard neighborhood simply marked by an iron security gate with what looked to be an electronic entry box with a broken card stuck in the slot.

Beyond it lay a number of cottages laid out upon a cobbled figure-eight road…some more kept up than others; not everyone was keen on putting in too much of their own money on the rental properties. Andrew himself was truly not much on yard work and had promptly but tastefully turned what little outside area he had into a chalk garden, with but a few scattered often-used herbs sitting in pots on his narrow porch. It was there that Jennifer was quickly losing her patience, taking a moment to lean over the rail and look up at a tiny attic window where her owl Dodger sat, turning his head around to look back at her curiously.

"Maybe sending Dodger ahead wasn't such a good idea, polite or not," Jennifer said with a sigh. "I don't see Darwin."

"Draco's suspicions or not, we have little reason as yet to suspect him of anything," Severus said calmly, pulling out his watch. "It says, 'Elsewhere' now. He has definitely left."

"Well, I don't believe he had anything to do with this. Perhaps he simply left before Dodger got here," Jennifer reasoned.

"Or perhaps he's avoiding us," Severus mused. Jennifer frowned at him for speaking what she had obviously been worried about. "So, why don't you take out that copy of his house key I told you not to make, since I know you did so anyway, so we can both disrespect his privacy together." Grimacing, Jennifer dug in her Chest Cloak and brought out the bronze key, feeling a bit guilty as she carefully opened the door and they stepped into the narrow entryway.

Immediately, Severus sniffed the air curiously, pausing to shut the door.

"What an odd smell."

"It's coming from the kitchen. I suppose Hanna's cooking," Jennifer said, but as she moved to head towards it her foot slipped on the floor and she stopped. "How odd! Water on the floor! I hope this isn't a sample of Hanna's housekeeping."

"It's under the coat rack, Jennifer," Severus pointed out. "There must have been something damp hanging upon it, and yet it hasn't rained since last night."

"He might have had a guest who had been somewhere it was raining," Jennifer said, picking up something off the rack itself. "Look, Severus, white hair." Severus took the tuft thoughtfully while Jennifer stepped into the kitchen, careful to look down in case there were any more wet areas. It was that caution which made her notice something else, and she crouched down to touch the waxed wooden floorboards. "Now, this is curious! What in the world has Andrew been doing to his floor? It's as if he's put a bed of nails upside down upon it or something! I'm sure the owner isn't going to like that."

Severus squinted suspiciously, kneeling beside her and running his hand over the floor. Sure enough, it was covered with small holes, some seemingly spaced the same length apart while others seemed closer and very random from the doorway to the center of the floor.

"These were put here recently," Severus mused. "The floor hasn't been waxed since the damage was made." He glanced back at the hallway, his eyes focusing in on the carpet runners before back to the kitchen, following them to the center of the room thoughtfully while Jennifer went over and peered in the oven.

"Nothing in there, but it is warm. I suppose it would be pointless to try to call his House Elf out?" Jennifer said.

"I'm sure if Andrew is hiding something from us he would have already informed her to stay quiet," Severus said. He glanced in the icebox and then paused a moment, going out into the hall as if heading towards the bedroom. A moment later he came back in again and paced over to the kitchen table, picking up a book on Herbology that was lying there.

"But what on earth could he be hiding, Severus? You don't think he really is mixed up in this somehow?" Jennifer asked.

Severus didn't answer. Instead, he snapped the book shut and looked over to a small hutch where one of its glass doors open. Most of the books kept there were cookbooks, but Severus couldn't help but notice a Transfiguration book lying on its side just below them. He opened it up with a frown, shaking his head.

"They're going about this the wrong way," Severus murmured.

"What, Severus?"

"We're going about this the wrong way," Severus said more distinctly, not turning around. "I think perhaps you should go speak with Ginger and see if you can get more information from her while I have some words with Aurelius and see if he's found out anything."

"Right, I'll send Dodger ahead then," Jennifer agreed, but paused by the door. "Severus, you don't think Andrew could possibly…"

"No, Jennifer, not possibly," Severus reassured her, pretending to read the tome in front of him. "There is no motive for him to do something like this, although a twisted prosecutor might try to turn our son's reputation against him. The problem is that so far there is no true cut motive for anyone, whereas I can name dozens who may have had opportunity, considering where it was, not to mention the means of using magic to do something of this nature. Motive is what I need to speak to Aurelius about."

"Well, I have full intention to find out what motive Andrew could possibly have for trying to avoid us," Jennifer said with determination, stopping at the desk in the hall to write a quick note. Severus didn't comment, but waited until she went outside before snapping the book shut and putting it back in place.

In so many ways Ginger Davidson was quite the opposite of Andrew; from her strong, unbending personality to her stylish London flat not far from her job at the Ministry of Magic. She had been one of Jennifer's best Potion students (again, unlike Andrew,) surpassed only for her zeal for Herbology. Jennifer, therefore, had not been at all surprised when Ginger decided to pursue a botanist career in the magical properties of plants, and was soon trained to identify trace elements in potions and poisons for the Ministry's Department of Investigations. But it had rather surprised her that she and Andrew still casually dated so often since they had graduated. What it was that kept the two of them coming back after it became obvious anything long term wasn't about to come out of it rather mystified Jennifer. From Andrew's face, Jennifer gathered for his part it was for reason's of friendship and familiarity; while Ginger's reasons seemed a bit more baffling, for the girl often seemed to simply refer to the whole situation as, 'being Accursed by Snapes.'

Was it just Andrew she's accursed with, or an entire family reference? Jennifer had often wondered about that with bemusement. Rolanda Hooch Archibald and Severus had once had a rather strained chemistry, built on jibes and underlying attraction…and yes, perhaps not completely one-sided, Jennifer had come to realize. But Jennifer was also certain that it had waned because of circumstances before Jennifer had even come along. They had disappeared entirely not long after she arrived, as Rolanda turned suddenly disinterested in anything but offering Jennifer handy advice in areas she had failed at. Well, that was Rolanda, Jennifer remembered with a warm smile.

But unlike Rolanda, her granddaughter Ginger, it seemed, didn't know when to leave well enough alone. Ginger was so convinced that sooner or later Andrew would give in and settle down…that sooner or later he would come around. Jennifer had hoped that as well once, as any mother might. But she had long come to realize that there were many more reasons for Andrew's choice of lifestyle than what there might seem to be on the surface. In that, Jennifer couldn't help but to feel partially to blame.

Clearing her thoughts, Jennifer knocked briskly on the door, which soon swung open to show Ginger's unusually pale face. Wordlessly, she gestured Jennifer inside. After shutting the door behind them, Ginger strode over to a small kitchen area, taking great pains not to look in Jennifer's direction.

"If you're looking for an alibi for Andrew, you've come to the wrong place," Ginger said crisply, pouring them both a drink.

"I'm not really looking for one, not exactly," Jennifer said. "But I am here to talk about Andrew. Have you spoken to him at all since last evening?"

"Oh, he knows better than to come back here," Ginger said. "Especially after trying to lie to me." Jennifer blinked at her in surprise.

"Lie? Andrew?" she asked dubiously. "What reason would he have to lie?"

"Well, that's obvious, isn't it? Apparently when he was out entertaining himself by helping Rel chase about that comely temptress he had not a date with me but some other girl as well! Oh, he tried to deny it," Ginger said, slightly annoyed by the still doubtful expression on Jennifer's face. "But he admitted it in the end. He said he had been gone all day yesterday helping a friend…a friend, but he wouldn't say who. Finally, he gave in and admitted to me it was a girl and barged out of the room. I haven't seen him since and I dare say he had better not try to see me ever again."

"Yes, I've heard you say that before," Jennifer said quietly. Ginger glared at her. "Ginger, I don't think he'd lie to you…he has no reason to lie. Come now, you've known for years Andrew wants only open relationships, and he's always been up front about it."

"Then why did he try to deny it?" Ginger demanded. She folded her arms then began to pace.

"I don't know," Jennifer admitted. "Perhaps whoever this girl was is a friend of his as he says, and if so I'm sure he has a good reason for keeping it quiet. At least I know now that you don't believe for a moment that he had anything to do with this death." Ginger paused and glanced over at her with a sigh.

"No, of course I don't. He would never hurt anyone…intentionally, as blind as he may be to unintentional ones…" Ginger said, pacing again. Jennifer merely smiled knowingly. The girl seemed to set herself up for those. "But I did have to admit to the Ministry that I couldn't account for the time he was gone, and that he wouldn't tell me where he was."

"But he did say he was helping a friend, and that that friend is a girl," Jennifer mused, leaning back. "But who could it be? What could have happened to this friend of his that would be worth putting himself in such an awkward position?"

"I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if no one hears from him until all of this business with the siren is cleared up," Ginger said. "No one can hide quite like Andrew can."

"You need not tell me of that," Jennifer said with a thin but worried smile. "Ginger, about this…relationship of yours…" just then there was a knock, and Jennifer sighed in annoyance as Ginger hurried over to open it.

"Oh, hi, Adler," Ginger greeted him unenthusiastically. Jennifer's face darkened slightly as Ginger let in Thomas Craw's deputy. But hers was not the only one to express intense dislike, for Adler Bosworth seemed no more pleased to see her here than she was to see him.

"Beat me here too, I see," he muttered, and Jennifer raised an eyebrow in response. "I hear that you and your husband just called upon Crow's Keeper Lane."

"Not that it is any of your business, Adler, but my father asked our help on this case," Jennifer said coolly.

"Giving the prime suspect a reason to run is hardly helping the case. As well as the fact you can't help but get emotionally involved," he added distastefully. "I will handle this part of the investigation from now on, if you don't mind? It isn't like Thomas really wanted _your _help, and you damn well know it. He just knows when you stick your nose in that the Professor will soon follow."

Jennifer got up so quickly that Ginger pushed herself between them.

"Say what you came to say and get out of my house, Adler. She was invited. You weren't," Ginger said pointedly.

"Yes, well, I suppose you women must stick together," Adler said casually. "Professor Andrew Snape is now formally being asked to return to the Ministry for questioning. I trust if he returns here you will do your job and bring him in?"

"I don't expect him to show up here, but I will if he does," Ginger said with a nod.

"As will I, if I see him," Jennifer said.

"Somehow, I doubt that," Adler said.

"Doubt as you like, but my son had nothing to do with any of this," Jennifer snapped.

"So you would believe, mother," Adler said smoothly. "But no man is innocent, no matter what the simple female mind may dupe themselves into thinking. I work on fact, not fiction, and if he is proven guilty, I plan to do my duty no matter whom he is related to. Good day."

"Just get out," Ginger growled at him. With a thin smile and nod, the wizard swept out. Ginger slammed the door so quickly behind him that a part of his cloak was caught. Ginger ignored the knocks and leaned against the door, forcing him to have to rip the cloak to get away. "Simple female mind? At least we think with our brains instead of something else," she said.

"How I hate that vile wretch! Who does he think he is?" Jennifer seethed.

"A Bosworth," Ginger said with a shrug.

"Well, I don't care, I'm a Craw. His dark family history doesn't give him a right to treat people like that. It's no wonder that my father dotes on him so as being the best assistant he's ever had. They're two peas in a pod in many ways," Jennifer said hotly.

"True," Ginger said thoughtfully. "But doesn't Severus like Adler well enough?"

"I think I'd better be going," Jennifer said, pointedly ignoring the question. "Perhaps Severus has better luck than I have had."

"I don't know. Maybe a few years in Azkaban would do Andrew a bit of good," Ginger mused. Jennifer gave her a dirty look.

"Care to come teach Transfiguration yourself?" Jennifer asked testily.

"Good point," Ginger said solemnly. "Good luck."

"Thank you," Jennifer said curtly, making a point to stomp on the piece of black cloth that fell on the floor when she opened the door.


	6. VI

VI

Severus Snape had spent quite a bit of time within the Dark Forest in the decades he had been at Hogwarts and had come to know it well; but no wizard alive knew that forest like Aurelius did. Ten years as the rider of the Unicorn herd leader had given him a unique perspective, opening his senses up to things that most tended to miss; the whispers of the trees, the smells of danger in the wind, and the understanding of the wild magic that existed in every living thing there. So why was it that when Severus found him standing by the brook that Aurelius had such an uncertain look on his face, as if his son didn't even know where he was?

"Anything new?" Severus asked casually, bringing him out of it. A couple of Enforcers looked up from their work and nodded politely to them before going back to scouring for clues. Aurelius merely shook his head, biting on one nail. "Working fervently, I see."

"The Centaurs made it clear to us they want us out of their area as soon as possible. They couldn't care less about 'our affairs.' They simply want us out," Aurelius said in annoyance.

"Shall I send for Dr. Sagittari?"

"No, Charlie Weasley is already attempting to talk to them, he figures this is the Magical Creature's Ministry jurisdiction," Aurelius said, shaking his head. "Honestly, I don't understand why they're behaving this way…it doesn't make any sense."

"You mean the fact that they are simply insisting we get out of their territory instead of blaming us that such a creature was brought here in the first place?" Severus asked.

"Well, I'm glad someone else sees that something's odd with that," Aurelius said, glaring at the two Enforcers who merely gave him dirty looks before turning to the site again. "It's as if they weren't one bit aware that there was anything strange in the area. The Unicorns don't seem to be particularly put out either."

"The Centaurs were aware of something," Severus said. "I recall hearing them complain about too many wizards in the forest."

"And yet they seemed disinclined to give any details about anyone who may have been in this area yesterday besides us…and that includes being willing to state that Andrew wasn't anywhere around."

"You need not worry about that any longer. Your mother and I went over to Andrew's place and cleared the matter up," Severus said.

"He confessed to where he was?" Aurelius asked.

"Not in so many words…or any at all, for that matter. He wasn't there," Severus explained, Aurelius staring at him blankly. "Your mother went to look for him, but it is of little matter if she doesn't find him. I already know where he was and who he was with during that time period and can prove he had nothing to do with this murder of yours. So let's try and concentrate on who may have done it, shall we?"

"Why do I have the feeling that you didn't bother to tell Mum that you know where Andrew was?" Aurelius said suspiciously.

"So, tell me more about what sort of reports were the Aurors and Ministry getting about this girl that caused you to arrest her," Severus suggested, ignoring the question.

"Oh, you know, the normal siren stuff, a few small commercial boats run aground and a number of small craft," Aurelius shrugged. "This is heavy tourist season up there, so all sorts of fishing boats and even some tour boats were caught up in it. I was asked to take care of it because of some silly yacht race or something or other. She was on one of the smaller islands, of course, and it took some time to track down which one."

"How hard was she to capture?"

"Oh, no problem at all, once the tidal wave receded," Aurelius said sarcastically. "Fortunately, the cave she was holed up in on the island had no exit."

Severus squinted.

"No exit to water at all?" he asked.

"It was on the beach, so I would guess the tide would pull in the entrance at times…"

"Even still, a bit unusual. She was in human form when you found her, then? Not mermaid?"

"Right, like I said, she was on land when I caught up with her," Aurelius nodded.

"And did she attempt to guile you at all during the capture?"

"Did you or did you not train me in defense?" Aurelius snapped. "I used a Sonorous Shield from the very beginning and silenced her the moment she emerged. I have more sense than to try to tackle a creature like that with full lung capacity."

"Perhaps," Severus said in such a thoughtful manner that Aurelius frowned at him. "I need you to take me to that island…or better yet, take your mother there. I will make a few calls here first."

"Oh? Like where?" Aurelius asked.

"The Ministry Morgue, for one. I need to see the corpse again," Severus said, turning. "Make whatever arrangements you need to spend an evening up north, somewhere easily accessible. I'll be joining the two of you as soon as I can."

"I suppose we can always find something in Kirkwall…" Aurelius said with a frown, wishing he could see his father's face. "What exactly is it we are supposed to be looking for?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll know when you find it," Severus said, leaving his son to stare at him as he disappeared into the forest. Aurelius shook his head, but then became aware of the two investigators that were murmuring to each other.

"What?" Aurelius demanded in annoyance.

"Nothin,' we were just thinkin' 'ow 'is job is seemin' to rub off on 'im is all," one of them said.

"Since when do either of you get paid to think?" Aurelius said tersely. "Now, get back to work so you can confirm to Minister Craw there's nothing more here to be found. Father's right; we need to trace this further back to the source."

"Well, for your brother's sake, I hope you find it," said the other Enforcer, shaking his head. "It's a scandal in the making for sure. The papers will be having a field day with it before tomorrow."

Aurelius' face darkened, but only partially because of his words. He found himself wondering if that was one of the reasons that his father asked him to bring his mother along.

But soon Aurelius realized that there were other advantages; Aurelius knew very little about boats in general and had literally gone island 'hopping' the first time to find his quarry, Apparating in and out and sustaining the element of surprise in the process. So when Jennifer insisted on taking a boat to the site, Aurelius had little argument that would hold water.

"Sirens live just as much in the ocean as out of it, so if there is anything to be found, it's just as likely to be in the sea," Jennifer had reasoned.

"And what about all the wrecks near the island? Not all of them have been salvaged, you know. It's just as well, for I'm sure all the debris provides a good explanation to the Muggles about why there have been so many 'accidents.' But we may become an accident ourselves…" Aurelius warned.

"Oh, nonsense. If I can navigate above the Fomorian City at low tide, I can handle a bit of debris," Jennifer said unworriedly, adjusting the sail. "You know that your father and I try to get out on the ocean at least once a year. People have a harder time locating us that way," she added with a mischievous smile. "Simply point me in the right direction, I'll take care of the rest."

Reluctantly Aurelius watched with trepidation as she rented a boat and took them out, leaving the seasick Auror to gaze out balefully off the side and shout anxiously at her any time she got closer than his comfort level to the rocks.

"We won't find out anything by staying away from the wrecks. And we're not even getting half as close as that Muggle fishing boat over there is," Jennifer argued. Rel grew alert, squinting over at the direction she was gesturing.

"They might be diving the wrecks," Rel mused. "Salvagers of some sort."

"Really?" Jennifer said with even more interest.

"Now, don't you dare go and suggest we break out the Gill Potions. You have no idea just how full of junk this water is…"

"No, I'm sure you're right, but I have a better idea. I'm taking the boat over there," Jennifer said, getting up. "Perhaps they've seen or found something strange."

"Now, what can they possibly find of any use to us that they would believe or even remember seeing?" Aurelius sighed.

"Don't start," Jennifer said curtly. "I know your job conveniently keeps you concentrating on magical issues, but we live in their world, not the other way around."

"What I do protects them too, Mum," Aurelius said back. "I seriously doubt they would have anything to say that would be remotely useful, since it would be distorted from the true facts behind the matter."

"Now I see why your father insisted on you taking me," Jennifer muttered, veering the boat closer. "Apparate to shore if you like, no one is forcing you to stay. But I won't be satisfied until I've had a few words with them. Besides, sometimes Muggles see more than they want to admit, and if so I can get to the bottom of that…"

"Just as long as you pay attention to the bottom of this boat as well," Aurelius said with a sigh, peering over the edge again.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I know spells to repair boats in an emergency. Just…don't ask me the circumstances behind exactly why I felt the need to know them," Jennifer said before concentrating on the rigging. For some reason, Aurelius didn't feel all that much better for her saying that.

His reservations didn't improve as they came closer to the boat; for although the motor was silent, no one was visible on deck.

"Hullo!" Jennifer called up, pausing a moment to listen for a response. "Surely someone would be on board as a spotter if they were diving?" she said as much to herself as to Aurelius before calling out again.

"Look for a line out over the boat," Aurelius suggested.

"I don't see anything. Not even any of those funny air contraptions," Jennifer said with a frown. "Shall we check below deck?"

"What? No, we can't do that! We don't have any authority to board strange Muggle craft…"

"But what if they're in some sort of trouble? After all, this was where the siren was. Perhaps there's more than one?"

"That's not the point. It'd be like breaking and entering…"  
"Oh, nonsense! I'm not going to be satisfied until I know whoever owns this boat is safe," Jennifer said as their boat bumped up against the larger one. She headed up a ladder before Aurelius could stop her. "Hullo there! Is everything all right? We're coming up!" she shouted one more time, checking to make sure her wand was still in place up her sleeve before climbing on deck.

"This isn't a good idea," Aurelius said following behind, but by the time he got on deck she was already rapping on the cabin door.

"Do you smell something? Rather like burnt coffee," Jennifer said with a frown, gently testing the door.

"It's locked. We really ought to leave it," Aurelius said, but was unsurprised when Jennifer simply shifted her sleeve slightly then reached for the handle again. "Or not."

"We'll just make sure no one is in trouble and we can be off," Jennifer reassured him, stepping further inside. "Aha! I was right! Burning coffee! I wonder who was careless enough to leave it on?"

"It's not any of our business what they leave on," Aurelius sighed as he came in behind her. But a sudden noise made him look around and found a badge in his face.

"I would say you are quite right about that, sir," the MCA agent said. Jennifer looked around in surprise to see another one in the doorway to the pilot room, positioned as if he had been ready for anything. Aurelius suddenly felt the need to groan.


	7. VII

VII

"For some reason, I really don't think this is what your Father had in mind when he told us to get accommodations in Kirkwall," Jennifer said glumly as she stared out of the cell.

"I told them I was a member of B.E.L.A., but they didn't seem to believe me," Aurelius said as he paced the room. "They even took my badge!"

"Criminal trespassing indeed! If they had only spoken up to begin with, we wouldn't even be in this mess! Lurking about a ship as if baiting us to come in. It was a sort of entrapment," Jennifer growled. "And here I was thinking someone might be injured or worse."

"Your good deeds have always gotten you into trouble, Mum," Aurelius said, still pacing. "Only this time you pulled me in as well."

"Well, I am sorry we got thrown in jail, but I'm not sorry for checking that boat out. And I for one think they owe us some sort of explanation as to what they were doing there."

"I don't think we're in a position to be asking anything, Mum, especially after your refusal to explain how you got the door open."

"Well, I can't possibly tell them the truth about it, can I? And given the option, I'd prefer not saying anything to lying. Now, try not to worry," Jennifer sighed, for Aurelius was pacing even faster now. "Severus said he would be on the way, so I'm sure we'll be out of here in no time."

"Will I do?"

Aurelius stopped his pacing and turned around, while Jennifer's face lit up from surprise.

"Harry! Whatever are you doing here?" Jennifer said as one of the coast guard reluctantly began working the locks on the door.

"Your Father's doing, Jennifer, after the B.E.L.A. office received a call claiming that someone posing as one of our officers broke onto a decoy boat."

"I didn't break into it, she did!" Aurelius snapped. Harry merely looked amused.

"What sort of decoy boat?" Jennifer frowned suspiciously.

"I'll tell you about it later. Let's finish up here first," Harry suggested, and the other two quickly agreed, following him out to the front.

Food was the next order of business, but it didn't take them long to find a seaside restaurant where the smell of fish stew trailed far enough down the road to get their undivided attention. Even Jennifer, who was normally a very picky eater, didn't seem to mind the selection, though she was actually more interested in finding out what Harry had to say than her dinner.

"Well, the reason the MCA didn't take you seriously, Rel, is because apparently they set up this little sting on B.E.L.A.'s request," Harry explained, glancing at the younger Auror, who was grimacing. "They were looking for illegal divers who might be scouring the recent wrecks, and from what Thomas said when I left, it was uh…"

"Don't tell me. Father set it up," Aurelius scowled. "I knew we should have gone directly to the island."

"He's not going to be happy with me," Jennifer added in a low voice, putting her head in her hand in resignation. "But it does sound like he believes that the motive is hidden in the water somewhere like I do."

"Well, something is being hidden at any rate," Aurelius said with a nod, glancing at Jennifer. "We really ought to go search the island as we should have done in the first place, before it gets too dark. And this time, we go the fast way."

"No, wait, perhaps you had better let me do it," Harry said, glancing at Aurelius who didn't look too thrilled with the idea. "You have accommodations here yet?"

"Yes, we took care of that earlier before we rented the boat…haven't checked in yet…"

"Here, let me write it down," Jennifer said, taking out a piece of paper from her cloak. But as she opened it, she noticed there was writing on it, and then sighed. "A message from Severus."

"A message?" Aurelius asked.

"We had our cloaks linked," Jennifer explained. "It says to stay in port and investigate here."

"Good, that settles it. The two of you ought to be getting settled anyhow," Harry said. "Does he mention where he is?"

"That's all it says," Jennifer shrugged, then grew thoughtful. "And with little direction with where to investigate."

"Well, that much is obvious. We need to speak to the local contacts," Aurelius said.

"There aren't many wizards around town according to the main office," Harry said, pulling out a small notebook. "There is a Porting center here in the back of a Palmistry shop. We'll ask around there, maybe get a list of locals."

"Fine, why don't you both go do that then," Jennifer said, sounding slightly irritated. "I for one am going to find someplace to get a drink. In fact I noticed a pub not too far from the hotel along Shore Street."

"We can ask about the local witch haunts if you like," Harry offered, gazing thoughtfully at the frown appearing on Rel's face.

"No need. I am rather curious what sorts of rumors are floating among the Muggles, and that will be the place to hear them, especially later on when their tongues loosen a bit. I'll meet you back at the room in a few hours," Jennifer assured them, getting up.

Aurelius scowled in frustration as she walked off.

"Great. I should have known she would pull something like this. I suppose we'll have to follow her now."

"No reason. We can cover more ground this way," Harry said easily. "Besides, she has a point. I'm sure there are all sorts of stories floating about what was happening out there."

"But they will all be distorted! Hardly any use to us," Aurelius said. "She's just trying to do her own thing again. She's going to just get into trouble."

"Oh, come on, Rel, don't you think you are exaggerating just a bit? You'd be a better Auror if you wouldn't be so…critical…"

"Just what exactly do you mean to imply by that?" Aurelius said hotly. Harry sighed, noticing several turned heads at Rel's raised voice.

"Look, I know you're under a bit of stress at the moment, so I am going to cut you a little slack. But you should be concentrating on the case instead of trying to be your mother's keeper, especially in front of me. She's survived situations I know a great many Auror friends of mine wouldn't have. I wouldn't be so quick to underestimate her, if I were you," Harry said, pulling out a wallet. "Now let's go follow procedure and check with the local wizards first, but don't be surprised if it's Jennifer with the better story to tell."

Reluctantly, Aurelius watched as he paid the bill and then followed him out, still unsure he was doing the right thing. But Harry wasn't the least bit concerned of anything short of getting the directions in his notes right, nor did he bring the matter up again, for the last thing he felt he had a right to do was to comment on how a son felt about their parents, not matter how distorted it was…perhaps as distorted as his was…

"This way, Rel," Harry said, and silently Aurelius followed. "It's obvious from his actions that Severus believes someone here must have been behind the death, and I think he's right. But why would anyone travel all that way, following the two of you as they must have, to get that job done?"

"To cover up something, more than likely," Aurelius shrugged.

"Exactly, and that's what your father must be onto. Someone must have been using her specifically, either to keep boats away from that area or to simply rob them. I think Severus was trying to eliminate that last theory, and I have a feeling that we can further disprove that tonight," Harry said, glancing at the map again. "There it is, between the curio shop and the bait shop."

"Rather dumpy sort of building, isn't it?" Aurelius commented casually with his hands in his pockets. The set of three shops really were off the normal path on a narrow side road, apparently geared towards tourists. Sun-damaged white lace hung in the windows of the fortune teller's shop, boasting of charms, trinkets, and 'fortunes of the sea.' There was no sign in the window, but testing the doorknob proved the shop to be open. Inside it was dark and foggy, with only a small section up front dedicated to all sorts of symbols and charms with very little true magic power, while a heavy purple drape with painted stars curtained off the majority of the room. "And a bit theatrical," Rel added, getting a side-glance from Harry.

"What is this I hear?" a soft, hissing voice asked from behind the curtain. "Someone criticizing my humble shop before one even knows what lies beyond?"

The drapes parted, and the two of them looked to see a hooded figure sitting in the dark in front of a raised table. Strange, slit glowing eyes were all that could be seen beyond the hood itself, while two grey hands lay almost casually on the table, playing with a deck of Tarot cards.

"Who dares raise opinion without first at least having the courtesy to meet the owner? Ah, a Snape. I should have known," the witch said dryly.

"He meant no offense, Madam," Harry said quickly before Rel had time to retort.

"Of course he did, Mr. Potter, but you are quite welcome," the woman said. "You are here for information, but all information comes with a price."

"We're here on an official Ministry investigation," Aurelius snapped.

"Then you will have expense funds to pay me," the witch reasoned.

"Fine," Harry said, putting a hand on Aurelius' shoulder. "Just sit down, Rel."

"Not until she at least gives us a name and removes her hood," Aurelius said.

"My name is Madame Stone, Mr. Snape, and unless you wish to be stone yourself, I will keep the hood on," the witch hissed.

"Gorgon," Harry murmured. Aurelius squinted.

"Correct, Mr. Potter. And you are here on your suspicious friend's behalf, to find the source behind the death of his prisoner which he so carelessly let get away from him…" Aurelius leapt to his feet.

"How do you know all that?" he demanded.

"It's in the paper, Rel," Harry pointed out. Stone hissed angrily.

"I don't need a paper to learn such things, Potter. It is all in the cards…the stars…even the sea whispers secrets to me," she said, bringing the cards to her forehead and beginning to lay them down.

"What sorts of secrets of the sea?" Aurelius demanded.

"Hush, the cards speak first…" she hissed. "A coin for my time, if you please?" Harry slapped down a Galleon before Aurelius could stop him. "Ah, yes. Gold speaks loudly in these islands, Mr. Potter. Loud enough to open some mouths and silence others, I think, yes?"

"Just get on with it," Aurelius said impatiently. "What do you know about the siren?"

"Hm," she said thoughtfully, staring at the cards. "The cards show nothing of a siren." Aurelius leaned back in exasperation, staring at Harry accusingly. "But see, there is something much more important here. Do you know what this card is?" she asked, pointing with a lavender-painting nail at the center card.

"Oh no, here we go," Harry murmured, suddenly agreeing with Aurelius that this wasn't worth the trouble.

"Yes, it is Death…but it has strange companions…the Jester, the cheat itself…and Judgment. I see ill in your future, Mr. Potter…for Death itself will soon walk the Earth."

"Thanks, I think we'll be going now," Harry said quickly, getting up. "Do you have a local Owl listing?"

"Do not be so ready to shun this future, Mr. Potter!" she pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I have heard all of this before. I've been predicted to die a hundred times…"

"But that is the point, Mr. Potter! You have long cheated death! And now death shall be coming to seek retributions for those who have done so, and that includes you as well, Mr. Snape!"

"What a load of…"

"We really must get going. Thank you," Harry said, grabbing Rel's arm and dragging him out before letting him finish his statement. "Let's see if we can't track down the Owl Post station."

"It can't be any less a waste of time than that was!" Aurelius declared. "It's balmy witches like that that give us all a bad name."

"I should have let you go alone, I think. They always get death happy when I'm around," Harry decided with a sigh. "Well, let's go scan some roofs for owl roosts. I hope Jennifer's having better luck than we are."


	8. VIII

_A/N Short disclaimer; although the characters are based on Harry Potter, the styling of this particular series is loosely based on A.C. Doyle's Holmes shorts. The characterisations of locals, in the same flavor as that style, are exaggerated stereotypes and colorisations and not necessarily meant to represent actual people; in other words, no real Orcadians were hurt or abused in the creation of this novellette. Happy reading! JCWriter._

_ P.S. There will be 2 chapters today as well; with the remaining 2 chapters published tomorrow._

VIII

Jennifer hadn't really spent much time in Muggle pubs, so played it safe and went for a port, despite the fact it was heavy compared to her tastes. The town saw their fair share of tourists from all over, so she hoped not to seem too out of place. She made a point of taking a booth near enough to the bar she could hear but far enough away from the door she could monitor the rest of the people going in and out.

No one spoke above a low murmur for a long time, and Jennifer decided she had come too early; ordering another drink and wondering if she shouldn't take the precaution of putting a sober potion in the next one. Smoke began to fill the room and she found herself thinking of her husband's pipe, wondering not for the first time what might be keeping him. Her stomach started to bother her, and she was debating leaving the place when a rather large number of men came in, many dressed in jeans and faded shirts, some of them smelling rather fishy indeed. Perhaps now she'd finally learn something, she thought, reluctantly ordering another drink.

"How's the fishin,' mates?" the barkeeper asked companionably, pouring out some pitchers.

"Best as can be this time a year, I s'pose, Charlie," one of the trawlers said. "Be better without the demmed tourist nuisance this time o'year." Several of the others agreed.

"Come now, a few tested anglers shouldn't worry you none."

"It isn't that so much as the fact they get in the way…there's boats all over this time of year, even far out, and more blips on the screen than wot I can count. One of these days we'll haul up the nets and find a diver or two in them," he said, several of his friends chuckling in agreement.

"Stay away from Scapa Flow then…"

"That's just the point, Charlie, they've moved out into open waters now, up north near Stronsay on heavy fishin' grounds, thanks to all those tides and that faulty light causing all those wrecks and all…"

"Now how can that light fail? It's solar powered these days, and it can't be for lack of sunlight," another of the fisherman said. "I think it's just tourists not knowing the area."

"True enough, that's part of it, I'm sure, but it can't be all of it. I know at least one trawler caught in that…"

"And Dickie McGee had three too many that day," another snorted, a few others chuckling in agreement.

"Well, being that he wasn't born Orcadian, I'm still counting him as a tourist," the first trawler said, getting another round of chuckles.

"Well, being as I count on those tourists as I do, I can hardly complain," Charlie said with a slight smile.

"What's trouble for us is good for you eh?" said the first, raising his half-full mug. "Just keep 'em comin' and we'll overlook your obvious lack of sympathy."

"Keep him comin' fast enough, and he'll forget altogether," the guy sitting beside him snickered, the others agreeing. "Uh no, here comes that old geezer again."

"Good, I wanted to talk to him anyhow," the other said, making a point of brushing off his hands and getting to his feet, leaning on the bar. "I'll have words with you, Beatey Cates!"

Jennifer turned with curiosity to see an old man with a sailor cap at the door and then did a double-take, squinting at him. He was a wizened, rail-thin man who was missing a finger on his gnarled left hand and walked with a curious limp as if one of his legs was just a bit longer than the other. Despite his appearance his eyes were sharp, as she saw clearly when he flicked his eyes in her direction before focusing in on the young, well-built man taking offense at him.

"Words with me, do you say? Now, what words would you have for me, Docharty?"

"Being that I thought I saw the _Burgess_ up near Stronsay way today. I thought you kept those charters of yours close to home!"

"Now, then, if a pair of rich 'Wegian anglers goes looking for pollack grounds, I gives it to them. I'm no more rich than you are…at least I wasn't this morning," he said almost cheerfully as he heaved himself up on a barstool beside them and made a subtle gesture.

"Well, you convince them to stay around here, then. What will they do with it if they have a good catch, I ask you? They waste the meat and mount 'em on their walls as if they didn't just commit a cardinal sin. We fish for the masses, to feed our children and our countrymen, and we don't need no touring boats getting in our range."

"I think you fish as much for your pockets as I do, Mr. Docharty," Beatey said smoothly. "And if I had some advice, it would be to find another fishing ground, for I've found something today in a fish's gut that's likely to cause a stir indeed."

"Like what, for instance?"

"Like this!" he said, bringing something out of his pocket. As the trawlers gathered around, Jennifer began to lean back to try to see around them, accidentally catching the attention of the bartender. She signaled him then, as if her actions had been simply to order another drink. "There, what you make of that?"

"It don't look Viking," Docharty mused.

"Course it is, what else could it be?" the man said behind him. "There's all those old burial grounds up there…or maybe it fell off some old wreck who knows where…could be from anywhere if it were in the belly of a fish."

"That may be," the old man agreed. "But I thinks I might look where I found it to see if I can get lucky again."

"Listen you! You had better not be telling anybody else of this find of yours! Keep it to yourself, that's what's good for all of us."

"And what am I going to be tellin' the pawnshop then when they asks where I got it?"

"Pawnshop?"

"Yes, I'm thinkin' it might be worth enough to help me get a better berth," he mused.

"A lot of luck you would have with that! We make five times what you do and we're still far from the main dock."

"Longevity has its benefits, after all," Beatey said with a partially toothless smile.

"Take my advice and put that thing away in a safety box or something, and no more displaying it like a trophy! Who knows who saw you flash that thing." The group looked around the bar and several of their eyes went towards Jennifer who seemed to be staring at the bubbles in her drink.

"Well, all right, mate, maybe I will for now," Beatey said reluctantly, putting away the item in his hand and getting up. "But if this isn't just a fluke, it won't be long before it happens to someone else."

"We'll just have to make sure it doesn't happen again then," Docharty said, the others agreeing whole-heartedly. "Another round for us, Mr. Pole," he added, and Charlie turned to draw them some more drinks.

As the old man turned, Jennifer couldn't help but catch a flicker of triumph crossing his face. But the seaman seemed instantly aware of the scrutiny and, before she knew it, limped over to the table, while she made a half-hearted attempt at finishing the drink in front of her.

"There, now, missie, you look familiar! Weren't you on the docks yesterday?" he said casually.

"Renting a sailboat," Jennifer explained with a nod. "But I don't recall seeing you down there."

"I wouldn't expect someone with your looks would remember someone like me," he laughed good naturedly. "But where are your consorts? What's a lady doing down here drinkin' tumbler-fulls by herself?"

"Easy to explain, sir. I happen to be waiting for my husband, but he seems to have forgotten me," Jennifer said.

"I find that hard to believe, missie, but if it's true, dump him," the old man said, and Jennifer couldn't help but to grin. "And the next time you need a boat, tell your lads to come see me instead…I'll make sure you catch your fish."

"Just keep 'em in local waters," Docharty said gruffly from the bar, despite the fact he hadn't looked in their direction.

"I'll take you wherever you like," Beatey reassured her, putting his card on the table. "'Evening miss. It'll be nice doing business with you. 'Evening lads," he added, but didn't get much in the way of a response as he hobbled out.

Jennifer gazed after him for a long time before she picked up the card, but as she slid it across the table something fell into her lap that was underneath it. Curiously she picked it up, carefully looking around first to make sure no one was watching before inspecting the item in her hand. It was a simple gold ring.


	9. IX

_A/N Second chapter for the day. There's been four chapters uploaded in 24 hrs, so check your place :) Two more tomorrow will finish this first story. Hope you like it! JCWriter  
_

IX

Aurelius let Harry back into their hotel room with a rather exasperated look on his face, glancing briefly at the bathroom door as they stepped back in.

"Is she still in there?" Harry said.

"Hasn't come out since she got back," Aurelius grumped. "I told you we shouldn't have let her go out alone."

A moment later, Jennifer opened the door, looking pale but a bit less green as she found her way to the chair.

"Aurelius, be a dear and get a nausea potion out of my cloak," Jennifer said. "Remind me next time I go drinking that a sober potion does not necessarily counter the effects of five ports on an empty stomach." Harry fought back a chuckle, but couldn't quite manage to hide a smile.

"Did you find out anything interesting?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yes, quite a bit. You?" Jennifer asked, reaching for a bag of oyster crackers.

"Only that the wizard population is sparse and extremely scattered out. Lots of hermits up here," Harry said. "Oh, and the local prophetess says I'm going to die again."

"Fancy that," Jennifer said unconcernedly, gratefully accepting the potion phial from her son before downing it. "Thank you! I'm sure I'll be right as rain in a moment."

"Then maybe you can tell us what you found out?"

"Give me half a moment, Rel, please!" Jennifer protested, gathering her thoughts. "There were several local fishermen there. They didn't speak about the siren so much, but they did seem to think all the recent wrecks were simply folks that didn't know the area. I also received this," Jennifer said, holding up the ring.

"Received it? You mean someone gave it to you? Then why are you touching it with your bare hand like that?" Aurelius scolded, while Harry simply took it from her.

"Now don't give me that attitude, son. I taught you about item safety instead of the other way around. It's not magical, and even if it were, I got it from your father," Jennifer explained.

"You saw Severus?" Harry said.

"Well, more or less. He seems to have subdued a local and taken over with the help of a polyjuice potion, and if I'm not mistaken, a telepathy potion as well. He was passing something around the place, and then he came over, told me to give you his card, and gave me that ring as well."

"Let's see the card," Harry said, and Jennifer brought it out. "Captain Cates' Charter Service. 35, main dock. Well, that's simple enough, at least."

"And you have no idea what he was passing around at all," Aurelius said, taking the ring from Harry. "Could it have been this?"

"I suppose. He was showing it beforehand…but there's nothing really remarkable about it, and they seemed to think it whatever he found was not only remarkable, it was some sort of threat. They did reference the Vikings…perhaps something archeological?"

"Possibly, but this definitely isn't old…or really worth all that much from the weight of it," Aurelius shrugged, gazing at it. "Wait a minute…"

"What?"

"Mum, why don't you stay here and take it easy for a few minutes while Harry and I go talk to father real quick."

"It's all right, I'm feeling better…"

"We'll need to get the cloaks out until we know what sort of plan Severus has schemed," Harry said. "You did your part, Jennifer, why don't you take it easy and try to get some real food in you? We won't be long. We'll have something sent up for you."

"Yes, Mum, why don't you let us do our jobs for a change?" Aurelius said. Harry frowned at him.

"Fine, if you feel that way about it," Jennifer said angrily. "After all, I'm not the one with the death sentence."

"You know, I'm not sure I'd feel safe if anyone ever predicted I am to live a long life," Harry joked. "We'll be right back."

Jennifer folded her arms in annoyance, watching as they grabbed Invisibility cloaks and headed out the door. She drummed her fingers and leaned back, thinking over the evening and going over everything that happened in her head until the food arrived, testing her stew and gnawing on the hard bread that came with it. It was just as her stomach truly began to settle that a light came to her eyes and she sat up with a wild idea. Taking one more bite she set her food down, pondering her plan for only a moment before she got up and went over to her Chest cloak, taking out her Chameleon Powder. What if the person they were looking for was local? What if they had been there a long time? And what if Severus' clue was meant to be taken quite literally? A gold ring, she thought with excitement, stepping out of her room and quickly making her way out to the dark streets below. What if he meant a ring of criminals?

As she got near the docks, she found a secluded spot to douse on the powder, blending into her surroundings before hurrying to the office. She had little doubt it would be easy enough to get in, and sure enough it was only a set of Muggle locks. A night watchman sat near the front, but she paid him no mind, searching instead for some sort of records office. She frowned when she saw the computer and then stared at the record books along the wall. Time was of the essence, and Jennifer somehow talked herself into facing the dreaded machine on the counter.

"Well, here's hoping those brief lessons with Ben paid off," Jennifer whispered to herself, keeping her wand within easy each as she pushed the power button and then quickly muted the machine with a Sonorous Shield. She was confused at first on the data on the screen, but after making a few random clicks she saw some tabs which led her to what she was looking for. "Gotcha," she grinned, finding a piece of paper and writing down a number, circling it.

She hit the power button, frowning went it wouldn't go off. After several pushes, she shrugged and yanked out the cord before working her way out of the building, quickly glancing at a map of the docks on the wall before leaving.

Jennifer walked with her wand in her hand, pondering whether or not she should get backup. On the other hand, if she were wrong about this, she definitely didn't want to look silly in front of Aurelius, whose lack of confidence of late had been greatly disturbing her, despite her attempts of ignoring it. Still, she wasn't wrong, she told herself as she gazed up at small yacht moored in the berth she had written down. Checking to make sure the powder was still covering her, Jennifer carefully worked her way onto the boat, using a muffling spell to soften her footsteps.

It only took one look at the magically frosted windows of the vessel for her to know she was on the right track. A soft glow could be seen behind it, but nothing else, and Jennifer couldn't help but wonder why the local Muggle authorities hadn't wondered about it. Probably saw something else, she mused, creeping over to the door. But as she peered at it, she frowned with a sigh, then nodded to herself. She should have expected it; a wizard's lock was on the door, and sealed by more than one wizard. Even if she did manage to get it open by herself, she wouldn't be able to do it silently. Well, at least now she knew enough to tell Severus, she thought, turning back around.

But it was as she was getting ready to embark that she heard several voices on the docks; low, but intense, as if they were arguing. Instinctively she crouched down and crept back, waiting for them to pass, but instead the three men boarded. One she recognized, but the others she had never seen before. It was the two she didn't know who pulled out their wands, pointing it at the cabin door. A quick flash and it was open, and Jennifer managed to come up behind them as they entered a large ornate room. But then she couldn't help but blink a few times, barely getting out of the way in time when the man in the back closed the door. For in the center of the room, tied up back-to-back and surrounded by a magic field, was Aurelius and Harry.

"Here they are, Dan, here's the two we surprised on the old man's tub," the taller of the three men said.

"Jesus H Christ, it's Harry Potter! Asterson, you idiot! What the blazes were you thinking bringing them here?"

"No, it can't be!" Asterson said, aghast.

"Surely they wouldn't send him up here!" the man in the back said. "Just what have you been doing lately, Dan Erickson?"

"Perhaps you're mistaking us for someone else," Harry suggested.

"Pole, fetch me the paper off the stand," Dan ordered the last man who came in. "Now which of you was it masqueradin' as the old man?"

"Masquerading?" Harry asked.

"Our man here found the real Beaty Cates with a snootful and an empty whisky bottle and no memory of the last day and a half to show for it, despite the fact I know the boat's been taken out since then," Dan said.

"There's no pictures of Potter here, but the other one is on the front page, right enough," Charlie Pole said, handing it over to Dan who stared at it a moment before his sparkling eyes turned to Aurelius.

"Now I'm beginning to see the light. What we've got us here beside him is a Snape," Dan said, handing it back. "Trying to get his brother off the hook, I'm sure. I suspect he was the one playing the old man today."

"Well, if that's so, you're baiting the wrong hook," Asterson said almost casually. "We had nothing to do with any of that."

"You're denying you knew the siren then?" Aurelius said.

"I'm sayin' that we wouldn't stoop to murder, none of us," Asterson said firmly. "Would we, Dan?" But Dan didn't say anything right away. He was busy looking over the two men before him.

"And just what exactly do you both expect we should do with these two, being that it was you both who kidnapped them?" Dan asked.

"Well, it wasn't our fault! We were after the old man!" Asterson protested. "All I know is, here we were awaitin' by the door and then the door opened as if by itself and we heard 'em step in! We couldn't just stand there, could we? Besides, we'd have brought back a prisoner in any case, were that silly old man responsible for all of this."

"A Muggle we could deal with. A Muggle we could simply Obliviate and send him on his way," Dan pointed out.

"Well, perhaps that's what we should do, just make them forget they saw us and send them on their way," Asterson suggested.

"You don't think anyone would get suspicious of that?" Dan snapped. "It wouldn't take long at all for anyone to figure out something was wrong, being that they're on a case and all, they file reports and things like that, you know. Sending 'em back in any way would be signing our own prison sentence. We've no choice but to find a way to make them disappear. Like to the bottom of the ocean."

"You can't possibly be serious!" Asterson said. "You must be completely insane! You can't just go and kill Harry Potter like that!"

"Not to mention a Snape," said Charlie. "Do you really want one of the most powerful wizards in the world after you if he disappears?"

"Then stick to your bartendin', Pole, and we'll deal with it ourselves."

"I don't know about this _we_ stuff, Dan. I may be no stranger to violence, but think about who we're talking about here. The boy saved us from the Dark Lord himself, we could at least have the courtesy of not killing him," Asterson said.

"Thank you," Harry said sarcastically.

"Are you that willing to go to Azkaban, then?" Dan snapped, and the other two refused to look at him. "Well, I'm not, and unless you got any better ideas…"

"Well, I think if we're going to even discuss this, it should be the whole group," Pole said.

"Pole's right, Erickson. He should know about this before we be bumping anyone off," Asterson said.

"Fine. But don't be surprised at all if he agrees with me!" Dan said with a nod. "Asterson, stay here and guard. Pole, go get the lines, we're heading out."

As the boat slipped away from the dock, Jennifer let out a silent sigh from where she had squeezed herself into a corner next to a cabinet out of the way. Well, there was nothing to do now but wait, she thought to herself. Aurelius and Harry, it seemed, had resigned themselves to the same, wondering what sort of fate awaited them when they arrived at their destination.


	10. X

X

As the journey wore on, Harry had had a lot of time to think about their situation. It helped that Aurelius was being quieter than usual; in fact, he was a lot calmer and more collected than Harry would have expected him to be under such trying circumstances. Still, it was obvious that their guard, at least, didn't seem to be particularly fond of the idea of hurting them, and their fame, it seemed, was winning them a slight advantage. Harry had never been one to press that advantage, but now was hardly the time to let his aversions get in the way of making some sort of progress.

"So tell me," said Harry, as casually as if he were sitting across the table from someone at the Leaky Cauldron, "have you lived in the islands long?"

"Most my life," Asterson shrugged. "My par'nts brought us up here during the terror…you know, the first time you killed him," he said, Harry nodding and forcing a smile.

"So you didn't go to Hogwarts?"

"No, Durmstrang…closer to us and farther from trouble. Besides, it helps up here to know a few northern languages, don't you see."

"Yes, I see. Did the others go to Durmstrang as well?"

"Naw, Pole went to a small school up on Westray, I imagine Erikson did as well. 'Tho my parents went to Hogwarts, just like you, Mr. Potter," he grinned.

"Strange, I thought perhaps one of you might have gone," Harry said. Jennifer, still listening from her corner, had thought so as well. The Dark Forest wasn't an easy place to get around in even for someone who knew it, so how could any of them possibly get through that area if they had never been there? "Perhaps this leader of yours went to Hogwarts?" Harry said, confirming he had come up with the same reasoning as she had.

Asterson laughed outright at that and didn't answer, but a chill went through Jennifer as she read his face, and she wondered if she might not be in trouble after all. But before she could come up with a plan, the boat began to slow until there was a mild jolt as it came to a stop. Asterson casually leaned back then, trying to see out one of the deep windows, and waited patiently as there was a scurry of footsteps coming back to the main cabin. A moment later they turned to see a small, gnarled green figure in a fine wool coat leading Pole and Erickson in.

"A Goblin, of course, who better to lead a gold ring," Aurelius said.

"Not only a gold ring, a counterfeiting ring," Harry said. "I have a feeling that our friend here got a hold of some Gringott's coin plates. And don't I know you from somewhere?"

"Oh, I know you both, Potter, Snape," the Goblin said, his nostrils flaring strangely. "But before I introduce myself, my nose is telling me we have another guest on board."

A flash came from the corner, but the Goblin had already begun to turn and the spell only grazed his arm, instantly turning it to stone. Not one cry of pain did he let out as he went charging towards where he knew she was as the others took out their wands, wondering where to strike. But they had little reason, for the Goblin was many times stronger than the witch, and after a quick scramble was able to dust off enough of the powder to see her face while still having her pinned.

"Why, if it isn't Professor Craw, coming to the rescue again, I suppose?" he snarled.

"Beowulf. I always knew you were no good," Jennifer growled back.

"Of course, Grendelbane's brother! I knew I knew him from somewhere," Harry said.

"It'll be a short acquaintance, I assure you. Such a tragic end to an illustrious career, to die of a simple boating accident, although I'm sure you'll be remembered well," Beowulf said distastefully. "You would have been better off leaving it be. I doubt many would shed tears over a girl everyone thinks is a siren, thanks to this dim-witted companion of yours."

"What do you mean, she wasn't?" Aurelius barked.

"Well, I suppose now that she's dead it doesn't matter what she was, does it?" Beowulf said, waving it off. "Now how about telling me where your father might be hiding before I use this handy new stone arm your mother gave me to crush her head in?"

"We came here alone, Beowulf," Aurelius said.

"He's right, I arrived later to bail them out of jail," Harry said.

"Oh really? Is that correct, Truth-Seeker?"

"If he did manage to follow us, I guarantee you that you will know it before you succeed in laying a hand on me," Jennifer said, gritting her teeth.

"A guarantee I will be happy to challenge," he snarled, raising his arm.

"Has anyone noticed how loud the waves have gotten?" Charlie Pole asked out of the blue. The Goblin checked only momentarily at the peculiar, seemingly trivial comment and growled angrily, moving to finish his blow.

It was then that boat suddenly lurched up from the prow and water began to gush into the cabin with intense force as they all began to slid screaming to the lower side with everything not tied down pelting after them.

"Aurelius!" Jennifer cried out in fear and ended up getting a full spray of water in her mouth. But her son and Harry were still tied up!

She looked up in a panic in time to see that the magic field around them was somehow still holding the water out, but that was all the time she had before the surge of water enveloped her. Struggling through the debris she tried to force herself to the surface only to hit her head against the top of a wall.

Suddenly a hand came from around her and something was popped in her mouth. A familiar sensation came over her then and after an uncomfortable moment, she breathed. Gillyweed! She turned then to try and swim back to the magic field, but the hand on her arm was insistent, pulling it across towards the weak light above them.

Reluctantly she followed and pushed her way through the cabin door, still having to kick her way upwards until at last she reached the surface. Quickly she spat out the Gillyweed and waited to breathe normally, exhaling deeply before finally looking around. That was when she realized she was the only one there, and had somehow surfaced far out from the island.

But before terror could truly sink in, bubbles appeared under the surface and there was a splash beside her as Asterson and Erikson foundered up, spitting out pieces of Gillyweed themselves. Seconds later and two more splashes revealed Harry and Aurelius, and Jennifer called out to them in obvious relief to see they were both all right. At last Charlie Pole emerged, spitting out his piece and looking around at the others.

"I couldn't get the Goblin," he rasped as his voice recovered. "The stone arm pulled him down. It was too murky for me to cast a spell and my potions were ruined, not that I mind not being able to save him all that much."

"Lucky enough you brought all that extra Gillyweed," Jennifer commented.

"I had a feeling it would come in handy," he agreed. "Now, let's see, where did I put that…"

"Wait a minute! Don't tell me that's you, Severus?" Harry said, stunned.

"Well, who the devil else carries that much of any spell component?" Severus asked casually, twisting a bit in the water until he pulled out a toy raft.

"Professor Snape! But where is Charlie Pole?" Asterson asked in amazement.

"Oh no you don't, Dan," Aurelius said at the same time, grabbing a hold of Erikson who was contemplating a fast Apparation out and clipping him with some earth-bonding cuffs.

"Charlie Pole is already safely in jail, where I'm sure you two will soon be, Dan, for accessory to murder and you, Asterson, for charges relating to burglary and counterfeiting," Severus said as he tossed up the tiny yellow raft which quickly expanded into one that could easily accommodate them all. "I suggest that everyone get on the raft as quickly as possible, for if I'm not mistaken, we are about to have visitors."

"Visitors? Out here?" Jennifer asked, accepting his hand up.

"You don't think I was the one who nearly drowned us all, do you?" Severus asked seriously. Before Jennifer could think up a reply, splashes came up around them and she looked up to see the awesome sight of several Fomorian giants looming over them as they stood upon the surface of the water. "You could have given me ten more minutes," Severus complained in annoyance.

"You were taking too long," the Fomorian in the center shrugged. "We have retrieved the erring Goblin and will be taking him back to face our own form of justice. You may tell the Ministry that."

"I'm sure someone will," Severus said.

"Good. Then we will leave these cold, filthy waters. Farewell," they said, immediately disappearing into the water.

"You're welcome," Severus said in a low, dry tone.

"Cold filthy waters?" Asterson said indignantly.

"Right now I agree with them," Severus said. "I think we've done enough damage here for one night. Shall we head home?"

"Just a minute, Severus, I have a few questions to ask," Harry said.

"So do I, actually…" Aurelius said, but stopped short when he saw Severus take out a completely dry book from his pocket. "Fine. Anyone know how to pilot this thing?"

"As a matter of fact," Jennifer said, giving Severus an enigmatic smile before turning a crank to hoist up a simple pole and sail in the center. "Get ready for a fast trip, for I guarantee you I'm as eager to hear how all of this fits together as you are."

"How about just one question?" Harry compromised. Severus simply turned the page.


	11. XI

_A/N Solution Chapter! Don't miss chapter ten! _

XI

"Chester! No more visitors," Draco Malfoy ordered his secretary. "Don't let anyone else in or out, because I really want to hear from Professor Snape exactly how this business of one escaped siren turned into an interracial headache."

The faun shifted his gaze between the Minister, the Headmaster, and the other guests before finally bowing and excusing himself from the room. Charlie Weasley, Thomas Craw, and his assistant Adler Bosworth were all present as well, while Harry made himself comfortable on the other side of the room near Aurelius and Jennifer. At first, Severus stood casually behind Jennifer's chair, but finally moved up when none of the others were inclined to speak at all and looked expectantly at him instead.

"Well, the first thing that needs to be made clear to everyone is something that's been rather obvious to me for some time," Severus said solemnly, "and that is, there was no siren involved in this entire situation at all. The person murdered was a Fomorian Scout."

"Well, that would explain why we were nearly drowned by them, wouldn't it?" Harry said. Aurelius said nothing, but his expression spoke volumes, knowing that a great deal of the mistake had been his doing. "You say you've known it for some time? Like before we even went north to investigate?"

"Oh, yes, although I wasn't the first person to suspect something was strangely not sirenish about the girl. That was my wife," Severus said, leaving Jennifer momentarily surprised. "The day she was murdered, Jennifer, you wondered why she hadn't even attempted a siren attack, even when she was by the brook. It is true that up until that point she had been silenced by Aurelius," he said, shifting his eyes over to him. "Proper procedure when dealing with a siren, of course. His assignment as presented to him was to deal with such, and therefore he held the preconceived idea that was what she was and had no reason to suspect otherwise."

"Yes, yes, Severus, you don't need to defend the actions of _that_ son," Thomas said, waving him on.

"I only mention it in case that you may want to overlook your own procedures on how such missions are presented, Thomas," Severus said evenly. Thomas raised his brows in response, and Adler frowned disapprovingly at the Headmaster. "But as I was saying, the prisoner had escaped them and had been on her own at least overnight before she was discovered, and therefore any muting spells Aurelius and Andrew may have placed on her would have worn off by the time of the confrontation with her murderer. Were she a true siren, we should have heard something, especially since, as you know, a siren's voice can echo for several nautical miles.

"I then had some words with Aurelius, who is, as some of you know, a sort of expert on the Dark Forest, and he himself reported that the forest did not act as if it had just been invade by any sort of foreign creature. They were simply put out by the number of wizards in the forest and otherwise stayed completely out of the issue."

"But Severus, wouldn't a Fomorian be an unknown to them?" Charlie asked.

"As far as the forest is concerned, Fomorian is simply a proper name for a giant with magic," Severus said. "And in that consideration, they are nothing more than a type of wizard."

"Like Rubeus Hagrid was a wizard," Harry said. "That makes sense, now that I think of it. What about your bird?"

"Halbert Hagrid, as you may remember, has been around that Stymphalian since it was a chick. Descartes would not sense such a being as an abnormality either," Severus shrugged. "But it was the method of magic that intrigued me the most…Fomorians are known for their control over elemental magic and most especially water. It was the only logical explanation for who may have commanded that much power over the sea. My trip to the morgue and then to our Fomorian ambassador confirmed those suspicions, but unfortunately, they could not tell me what exactly the girl had been involved in. She had been missing for some months after going looking after another one of their artifacts. I still needed to find out who may have killed her and why."

Just then, there was a timid knock on the door and Severus paused thoughtfully. Draco stared viciously at the door, gesturing for Adler to answer it. The deputy minister opened it just enough for Chester to poke his head and horns in.

"What is it, Chester? I thought I told you we were not to be disturbed!" Draco scowled at him.

"No, Minister, as I recall you said, 'no more visitors,'" the fawn said, unperturbed by the dangerous flash in Draco's eyes. "But there's a wi…well a um, well, there's someone here that wants to see Minister Craw over a matter of some urgency…quite insistent…life and death…"

"It's going to be life and death if we get interrupted again," Draco warned him.

"Adler, take care of that," Thomas said.

"Yes, sir," Adler said quite reluctantly, slipping out of the room with the secretary.

"You were saying?" Draco prompted Severus, who watched them leave with a curious expression on his face. "Who and why?"

"Yes," Severus said, turning his attention back to Draco. "The 'why' was actually in the forefront of my mind by that point. So on my way to speak to the Fomorian ambassadors, I stopped by to see Thomas and find out if it would be possible to arrange some sort of trap from what would seem to be a third party. So, using our cover as the B.E.L.A. league, he was able to help me get the MCA to set up a 'sting' in a possible 'smuggling' operation in the area, although at that point I was not aware how close my guesses were to the truth. Of course, that first attempt to gather information ended up being rather… counterproductive," he said, glancing at his wife, who was exchanging a sheepish look with Aurelius. "By this time, however, I had gotten into the area myself, and decided to use a more tried and true method of finding out information. I met up with an old man who chartered his boat to touring groups and monetarily convinced him to take a short vacation and grant me the use of his boat for a few days. That meeting proved to be even more beneficial than I may have hoped for, for Beatey Cates had a suspicious eye and a fast tongue, and between them I learned more than I had expected.

"In fact, he asked me point blank after I made the offer what exactly I was looking for and where, and I saw no reason not to tell him that I was planning to take the boat up around Papa Stromsay and have a look about. 'Are you looking for treasure then?' he asked, and I in turn asked him why. He then provided me with the sound answer that had I merely been fishing or diving that I had no reason to want him to leave. He believed that I may be planning to illegally salvage some of the recent wrecks, and soon I was able to learn why. For that was when he told me that he happened to catch a fish that way which had swallowed something peculiar; a misstruck gold coin as he had never seen before…this one, as a matter of fact," Severus said, pulling it out.

"A Galleon?" Charlie Weasley said with interest. "I've never seen one so badly struck before. They're normally melted and remade."

"Notice also how the width varies slightly from one side to the other as well…my guess is that the gold is impure and therefore when it was set into the mold settled at a different height, causing the misstrike. Because it was caused by impurity, I would say it was discarded, and improperly…the motive, then, became quite clear at that point. But how would I find who was behind it? A Goblin was involved, of that I was sure, but I was just as certain that he would not be able to run such an operation alone. And where did the gold come from? Considering the impurities in this piece, I concluded it came from a variety of sources. I learned later this was correct; the gold was both scavenged from the sea and from inside unsuspecting Muggle houses. It was the bartender, I believe, who tipped them off to when certain residences may be empty, as well as helped distribute the coin. Asterman, the burglar of the group, could pop in and out with ease and with very little danger to himself. Erikkson would then collect the items and bring them to Beowulf in his small yacht, who would pay them in the minted coin…except, that is, for the other partner, this girl whom I've learn was named Isa. She had been drawn to the area because of its archeology sites, looking for some sort of holy artifact that the Fomorians refused to tell me about. I imagine she ran into the thieves and made a deal with Beowulf that she would help them scour the sea so long as she was able to pick through everything retrieved by both she and Asterman to make sure any item she might have been looking for wasn't in the mix. She also helped provide some protection for them as they met at this island, for in true Goblin fashion, Beowulf had created a small, hidden cave in one wall of the cavern you found, Aurelius, to horde their finds and to hide a small smelting area he had set up there.

"Of course, at the time I first met up with the old man, I merely suspected this was going on. I still needed not only proof of this theory, but to learn the names of those behind it. So I traded the old man several real Galleons for the fake coin, sent him on his way, took his semblance and his story and took the boat in to several ports, in Stronsay in particular, with a Telepathy potion in my system to not only cover any tracks I needed to if he was known in the area but also to look for those who may have been involved. But Stronsay, strangely enough, turned out to be a rather dead end, except for hearing more rumors that strange currents and swells had been noted around the islands lately, and along with inept piloting were being blamed for the accidents.

"None of them seemed much interested in the coin itself, except for asking me to dispense with it and not telling anyone where I got it, although I did note several going out to sea to see if they could find some of their own. Nevertheless, it was getting late, and I decided it was high time I got back. I had driven the boat back into Kirkwall with the soul intention of meeting up with Jennifer and Aurelius to see them out of their predicament with the coast guard, but soon learned that Harry had already done so. I then happened to spy Jennifer through the window of a local pub, listening to the local banter. It was for that reason alone that I entered, to have words with her and let her know I was around, when some of the locals recognized me, and I decided to try there as well. As it turned out, it was a good thing I did. The bartender, it seemed, was a wizard, albeit not a very adept one, and was acting as the middle man in the very operation I was attempting to uncover. I had no doubts that it wouldn't take him long to come to the boat looking for me, so quickly I formed a plan.

"Using what I could quickly grab out of my pockets, I hurriedly took out three items and went over to Jennifer, setting a gold ring under a card where the boat was berthed on the table, distracting her momentarily while I put the other, admittedly, in her drink…"

"You did what?" Jennifer said, staring blankly at him.

"It was quite harmless, Jennifer, it simply acted to further aggravate any stomach issues you were already having with so much ale. I had hoped to keep you out of this whole affair," Severus admitted, his apology not quite as sincere as Jennifer might have wanted.

"Perhaps if you hadn't thought of cross-referencing the boats with owners that had leases well over a typical Muggle's lifespan with when the boats were in port and their destinations, I may have kept you out. I should have known better than to offer that clue to you," he acknowledged with a respectful nod to her, despite the fact she was obviously still annoyed. "But at the very least, I was hoping to provide a stall, for I knew neither Harry nor Aurelius would leave your side until they knew you were feeling better. That gave me the time to confront Pole and tuck him away before using my second Polyjuice to transform into him and hurry back to meet with one of Pole's counterparts, who had been waiting at the bar to meet him, and then be back in time to 'surprise and be surprised' by Harry and Aurelius…who soon attempted to sneak on Catey's boat to meet someone different."

"Are you saying that you had us kidnapped on purpose?" Harry said aghast.

"I knew that once they realized exactly whom they had tied up that they would very much want to consult the ring leader, and I also knew that during such a journey to that leader that I would be able to quickly learn the extent to each individual's involvement of the crime. Asterman and Pole had been active members in the counterfeiting but knew nothing of the murder. Ericksson had known, but it was Beowulf who actually did the job, using his Goblin hunting sense and sense of smell to track her down."

"One moment, son. You're forgetting, I think, that the girl was killed with a wand," Craw said.

"Not at all, Thomas," Severus said. "Actually, it was the very fact a wand was used that made me realize who we had to be dealing with, even before I saw him. Grendelbane and Beowulf were sons of a wandmaker and, despite the fact they were Goblins, had to know rudimentary wizard spells to be able to test them. That means that except for his own brother Grendelbane, who has a poor reputation within his own kind by the very fact he does not care much for wealth, Beowulf was the only Goblin that I know of who could have committed the crime. He had no doubt discovered the wand in the forest and decided to make some use of it, and I believe was also labeled by the Centaurs as 'a wizard' for that very fact."

"And where is Beowulf now?" Charlie asked. "I know you didn't bring any Goblins in."

"The Fomorians decided to retrieve him before we could do that," Severus said.

"Yes, I found out about that the hard way when I ended up with both their ambassadors on my doorstep, protesting each other's actions," Draco grumbled. "This is yet another occasion where you've given me a political nightmare, Severus."

"Yes well, everyone has their jobs," Severus shrugged.

"Well, you have a lot of explaining to do for drugging me again, Severus Snape," Jennifer said.

"And kidnapping us," Harry put in.

"Shall I draw up charges?" Thomas asked with a wicked smile.

"Thanks, but I'd prefer to think up my own punishment," Jennifer said crisply, receiving a rather speculative gaze from her husband in response.

"Wait a minute, aren't we forgetting something here?" Aurelius said. "Like what happened to Andrew?"

"Oh, that, yes, well, I'm sure Jennifer would care to explain that," Severus said, disarming Jennifer and making her blink with surprise.

"Me?"

"Yes, what was it you were telling me earlier, about what you learned from Ginger?" Severus said.

"She simply said that he said he was helping a friend, and that the friend was a girl," Jennifer said.

"Yes, let's forget that last part a moment, Jennifer, and let me ask you this. Who do you know, besides immediate family, that our son Andrew would be willing to risk his reputation and career, let alone time in Azkaban, rather than betray?"

"Well…Halbert Hagrid, I suppose," Jennifer said cautiously as Severus swept over to the door and opened it. Immediately, loud arguing could be heard within the reception room as Severus stuck his head out, and a moment later, a figure burst through the doorway, followed by a huffing and puffing Bosworth.

There in front of them was the part-giant himself…Hagrid's one and only son…only, she wasn't a son any longer. Curly hair draped down over her heavy snow coat, her beardless face rosy as if out of breath, and a face that reminded Jennifer distinctly of his…her…mother. Even more strangely, white fur covered the top of her hands and around her neck, and pointed canines were obvious whenever she opened her mouth.

"It's not his fault! I'm telling you, Andrew had nothing to do with any of this!" Halbert said in a husky, almost sultry voice as she shook a newspaper at them. "He tried to hide what's been going on, but someone was nice enough to send an Owl with a _Daily Prophet_ to the Himalayas. He couldn't deny what he was hiding from me then! But he had nothing to do with the murder! He was just trying to…" Halbert burst into a wave of tears and hysterically motivated French, Jennifer's wide gaze shifting to her husband's expressionless one and back again, noting the thickly spiked snow boots that she was wearing.

"Perhaps he was trying to fix what you had done to yourself while attempting to keep your condition from becoming public?" Severus suggested calmly. Halbert tried to say something but ended up simply choking and nodding. "I believe you were doing some sort of experimentations with veterinary medicines relating to Yeti?"

"_C'est vrais_, they are going extinct, as I'm sure you know!" she said. "I was trying to develop some sort of potion to help them…a potion to give to the male Yeti's so that when they did mate they would have a greater chance of having a female. But they won't take potions normally, even in their food, so I decided to try injecting it…" she burst into tears again.

"And ended up injecting yourself instead," Severus finished. "Well, someone had better tell that son of ours there's no Transfiguration Spell out there that can permanently change you out of something you manipulated at such a base level of cell development. Only a potion can do that."

"I don't care if I'm like this forever, but I'm not going to have him spending time in Azkaban because of me," Halbert said.

"No need, Hagrid. Severus had already gone and cleared him before you even came in here ranting like a little girl and looking like a dolled-up teddy bear," Thomas said, earning dirty looks from Charlie, Harry, and Jennifer. Aurelius and Draco snickered.

"This wouldn't have ever gotten so out of hand if Andrew had come to us with this in the first place," Jennifer said, standing up. "I suppose I should get back to the school and get to researching, if you have a list of what you put in this thing, Halbert."

"I suppose I had better assist you," Severus offered.

"Oh? What makes you think I'm even talking to you after what you just pulled, let alone willing to accept your assistance to help?" Jennifer retorted.

"Let that be a lesson to each and every one of you. Don't make me get involved," Severus said, a faint, wicked smile appearing on his face.

"And here I thought you had him tamed by now, Jennifer," Charlie teased.

"I don't think Snapes can be tamed," Harry said dryly. "Sure you don't want us to arrest him, Jennifer? I'll happily do it."

"Well, like it or not, he did solve the case, but I can assure you he's not going to be let off the hook for awhile," Jennifer assured them.

"Please, no more fishing references," Aurelius protested. "Or siren ones for that matter, thank you very much."

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Proof that silence still can be golden." Everyone in the room stopped and stared at him.

"That didn't mean you had to say it," Jennifer chided him, shaking her head with exasperation as they followed Halbert out of the room.

The End

_A/N And there you have it, and here we are, the week gone, and movietime is upon us! I need to get back to serious writing again, but when I'm ready to take a break (and considering I'm redrafting hand-written stuff I wrote years ago, I will need it :P) I shall be writing the second in the short story series; Headmaster Snape and the Avatar of Death...maybe around the first of the year, depending on how my original fiction project is going. But in any case, I hope you enjoyed this little nostalgic piece. Now, go see GoF...and if you haven't heard...they start filming Phoenix is February. Yay! duck> JCWriter. _


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